Sins of the fathers
by Ro-Chan
Summary: Sequel to Heart. When the lives of those involved in the Shishio Makoto affair are endangered it is up to their children to solve the mystery and save Japan. Ch.6 “Shiori drowned underneath it, her heart and breath stopping as they filled with darkness
1. Ch 1

_AN_: Welcome back Mina-san! I hope that this is just as successful as **Heart of a Wolf**! So please review and let me know what you all think! I also want to give a special HUGS to **Leila Winters **my beta reader! Yay! 

_Disclaimers:_ I do not own RouKen or any of its characters. I do however own this strange plot, Shiori, and the man that takes her away from Kenji, Naruto. (Not to be confused with Naraku but generally just as evil... to some people at least _*cough*Leila*cough*_)

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_Our story begins with a mystery…the lives of those involved in the Shishio Makoto affair are in danger with one death accounted for and two severally injured. Through this their children must find and put a stop to their parents tormentors before it is too late. However, Kenji and Shiori are having trouble working together because in two weeks Shiori will marry another man. _

**Sins of the Fathers**

**Ch.1 **

_June 23rd, Meiji 30 (1900) _

The ship _Kurokaze_ broke through the white crested waves swiftly as it reached the harbor on the edges of the Kyoto prefecture. It brought with it people from all ages and countries to the land that was home to old legends. However that was not what made the _Kurokaze_ special. No, what made it special is that this ship brought back a young woman whose heart was promised to another on a spring night not long ago. 

A cool sea breeze blew by caressing the golden skin of the young woman. She had aged as all humans do, but there was an immortality about her that gave her greater beauty. Maybe it was because she was young, maybe it was because she was in love, or maybe it was because she was wise enough to know that her existence was tangible and immediate. Whatever it was she had aged like all humans do physically and mentally, yet she held a great beauty about her that had men of all ages watching her. 

Fujita Shiori was oblivious to these stares or rather she was too caught up in her own thoughts to really take notice of the leery looks. It was strange for the young woman to be heading back to Japan after four years away from her homeland. She had missed it terribly the first two years thinking that she may very well never see it again, the latter two years were even more miserable for she finally realized what her heart had been telling her all the time, she was in love. She had known what love was about, had been witness to it several times, but it was that one instant when an old memory came to her in a dream that her heart awoke longing for a gentle touch of her red haired desire. Yes, she had longed for Japan more so out of heartache than homesickness, such a selfish desire. 

Shiori was familiar with her heart's longing and desire, she was familiar with its sorrow and want, and now a new sensation filled her as she watched the shores of the port city become clearer and more distinct. It took her breath away and sent her heart thundering in her chest, her strong legs suddenly became weak and unable to support her weight so she gripped the railing of the deck with white knuckled fingers. It sent electricity through her system leaving each nerve raw and tingling with excitement! She was almost home! Almost there, within the waiting arms of her husband-to-be! 

She began to scan the shores as if trying to find him amongst the ant like people wondering how much he had changed if at all. She picked at her pale yellow frock almost unconsciously. She had changed within those four years… she had changed a lot. She had gotten taller that much was obvious. She had sprouted much like a weed in barely two months but she still managed to fall beneath the line of the average height. However, most would never really notice that she was shorter simply because she appeared tall. Her long thin figure belied her true stature in more ways than one. 

Her voice had changed. It was no longer that pitched squeal of a child but that of a young woman tittering softly like bells dancing in the wind. Her words came out more pronounced, careful and refine carrying a soft accent of the places she had visited and had learned their language. Oh yes, she had learned to speak English and Spanish very well, and she had learned quite a few other things too. Singing, dancing, sword fighting… there was so much to learn and yet so little time within those four adventurous years! But Shiori had learned them quickly and efficiently for she was a bright girl, much like her father was. 

Her father… four years ago she could say that there was little she understood about her father and little he understood about her. Those four years of travel had brought their hearts closer, closing the gap that had been built out of fear and hesitation. She loved her father more than she loved herself, and frighteningly more than her red haired love. Maybe that would change once she laid honey colored eyes in his warm blue violet ones and she would fall madly in love with him. Oh how her heart longed to see him! 

Some things however did not change, she was still a smart girl and acted a lot older than she was, receiving strange and queer looks most often than not. Shiori still had the urge to control things even if they could not be controlled and fought often with those who were wild of spirit or just generally laid back. It did her little to no good if the people around her did not show the same motivation and meticulousness that she had. Such things often left her bitter and resentful of those who were no help. The raven haired young woman knew that she had these flaws so she tried to have patience with others but usually her temper would win out and a strong tongue lashing ensued, leaving her feeling more bitter than before. 

She still had a trouble of letting go of her strange little justice and the severity of each case grew dangerously. No longer was she just helping people find lost kittens and children, but now murders and killers filled her list. She had tried to keep such endeavors secret from her father— so if her father knew of them he said nothing and she continued on her dangerous treks. It frightened her sometimes for she was a woman and generally weaker than many of her opponents but she had enlisted the help of an accomplice who watched her diligently like a hawk. She wanted to complain of his suffocating presence but could not bring herself to part with such endearing sentiments. She loved him dearly with a great part of her heart. 

"Oi! Jou-chan!" The dark haired woman was roused from her dreamlike state sharply and turned to the tall figure that towered over her petite form. He gave her a smirk that she could barely make out since the sun was directly behind his spiky haired head. "Good to see yer awake and all little missy." 

Shiori growled before pouting and turning her eyes back to the sea. "Baka…" She smiled good naturally as he wrapped long dark arms around her small figure and pressed a kiss to her temple. 

"I love you too." The older boy rested his chin on her dark hair taking a deep breath of the salty air. They were quite for some time, comfortable in the silence, watching the sea and the shore that inched closer and closer. "You thinking about him again?" He asked seriously in his deep husky voice causing an unconscious blush to spring to the young woman's cheeks. 

"Yes." She whispered suddenly wishing that it were her love's arms around her holding her gently. The man grunted and said nothing letting the two lapse into another long silence. "Do you… do you think he'll still want me?" Shiori timidly asked pulling out from under his loose hold to gaze into the dark chocolate eyes. 

The boy looked at her curiously, deeply considering the thought. He must have thought too long on the answer for Shiori smacked him rousing a chuckle to come from him. "I think he will." He pinched her pert nose between two long calloused fingers giving her head a firm yet gentle shake. "The question is will he be enough for _you_?" 

She gave him a serious look and he had to resist the urge to laugh, as the look seemed completely out of place behind his fingers. "Of course he will." She huffed out her voice a bit muffled by the hold on her nose. 

He shook his dark head sending black locks that shined green about his face. "I'm talking about your father." He gave her an imitation of Saitou's frowning glare. "He still has to approve of the change ne?" 

Shiori laughed at the comical look on his tan face and removed her nose from his offensive affections. Since she had first meet him Takani Souzo was someone who shared a common bond with her soul. He was the bastard son of Takani Megumi and Sagara Sanouske. There was much mystery behind the relationship and even though Shiori's curiosity rose to the challenge she let it go once the bitter hurt flashed within those dark chocolate eyes. 

Though she had never seen Souzo's father she could imagine what he looked like just by glancing at his son. There was very little resemblance to his mother other than the same hair coloring and sharpness of his brown eyes. Those eyes, though hidden behind small spectacles, saw everything with the same analytical gaze Megumi would often have. They could also hold the same gleam of cunning in their dark depths. 

"Souzo no baka. Don't make me worry about that!" She tried to pout through smiling lips as she smacked a lightly tanned hand on his broad chest. He was wearing the typical western white shirt with dark blue slacks and matching tie. A wide, white headband attempted to keep the long dark spikes back but failed miserably against the wilting stalks of hair. He was quite handsome with his roguish features and gentle eyes and Shiori often wondered why it was that he never expressed an interest in the beautiful women that tried to capture his attention. When she questioned him on this he simply replied that he could not do so for it would go against his heart. She had persisted in finding the answer behind his riddle answer but gave up on ever finding it as he stubbornly refused to make a clearer statement. 

Souzo laughed along with his little charge and crushed the tiny woman within his massive hug. "It had to have crossed your mind at one point Jou-chan!" His tenderness seeped in as he loosed his hold on her and gave her a boyish grin. "What ever will you do Miss Fujita if he says no?" 

Shiori tried to pry herself from his strong hold but gave up as she failed miserably against the much stronger man. She giggled again and let her fingers fly across the sides of his abdomen eliciting a small shriek of protest from the older boy. 

Souzo released the small girl and danced out of her reach and feather like caresses. "That's just wrong Jou-chan! Just wrong!" 

Shiori snorted and stuck her tongue out to the chuckling young man. "Just because I thought about it doesn't mean you have to voice it. I know how strict my father can be, I don't need you to remind me!" She giggled again behind a slim hand and leaned against the rail taking a good look at her stepbrother. 

Shiori loved Souzo dearly, he reminded her so much of her older youngest brother, Tetsuro. Though he had a tall thin frame and large steel like muscles his touch was always gentle reminding her of a European saying, 'the gentle giant.' Sometimes she wanted to hug him close to her like a teddy bear and kiss his face tenderly for he radiated such kindness and softness around him. She would have placed that aura on his medical background and the obsessive caring he took on his patients in his profession, but even if Souzo had not learned the medical arts she was sure he would still be as equally kind and gentle. It was just his nature. 

"What are you staring at girly?" He smirked again showing off his white teeth in a grin that was adorably infectious. 

"I'm wondering how someone as wonderful and beautiful as your mother could have possibly had such a brut for a son." It wasn't true and he knew it, but still he wanted to pretend that it hurt a little, hoping that in doing so he would appeal to Shiori's guilt and nurturing desire. No such luck, she laughed again at his facial expression grasping her corseted waist in attempt to ease the pain of her laughter. 

"You are so cruel, Jou-chan." He smirked at her, having gotten to know her character very well in the past four years. She gave him a wolfish grin and turned her amber eyes towards the port as sounds on the docks began to wash over the ship. 

_August 3rd, Meiji 30 (1900)_

Himura Kenji had changed in the last four years partly thanks to his father who would remind him of his promise, and partly to the fact that he had several great mentors. The first being his father whom he had reconciled with and had generally learned a lot from. The things that Kenji learned from Kenshin were not what the older red head had taken care in teaching but things that Kenji had seen his father do. If Kenshin wallowed in self-pity and brooded for most of the day sending his wife into worry and hysterics then Kenji learned to appreciate himself more and gain a strong self-esteem. If Kenshin was helpful in everything he did then Kenji tried to gain a little more patience to deal with others. All in all Kenji learned a great deal about life, love, and battle with the older Himura and for it he was quite grateful. 

His second mentor was his diligent mother who had gotten the same disease as his father, consumption, but would not let it be her downfall. She taught classes and the value of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu, that life was to be protected—yours, your opponents, and those whom you are defending. Kaoru held onto her optimism even though she was facing death in the face, it was something that Kenji admired from her and tried to duplicate with the same vivacity as his mother. 

Though the younger Himura would never admit to it, Yahiko was also a great inspiration. The spiky haired man never let Kenji give up and always encouraged the young swordsman to look to other styles and techniques in order to improve his own strength and execution. It was this attitude that allowed Kenji to have the upper hand at times within their sparring. It also allowed Kenji to venture into and seek other arts. He learned chaji, tea ceremony, kyudo, archery, and even ikebana, flower arrangement. Each developed his mind and gave him a greater knowledge and respect for his home country. 

Kenji also devoured books learning everything he could about Japan's history, Western politics and sciences, and all the new discoveries that were being made of ancient civilizations. Kenji was an exceptionally bright young man so he could learn each thing quickly and effectively before taking to learn the next. He was so bright that even though his father and his grandfather Hiko refused to teach him the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu he had learned each and almost every technique just by listening to Yahiko tell him stories. When the three men learned this they practically jumped at him and tried to dissuade him from using the style. But Hiko finally relented and accepted Kenji as a student saying "at least I can teach this baka the principles behind it and hope the idiot learns them better than his father!" So Hiko undertook Kenji tweaking the stances and was generally pleased once the year was over at Kenji's grasp on the sword style. 

Hiko was another of Kenji's mentors and one that he loved and hated at the same time. Hiko was everything that Kenji wanted to be and everything Kenji hoped he would never be. The man was obstinate, proud, arrogant, and egocentric, but he was honest, honorable, strong, and on occasion, gentle. Hiko was a wonderful grandfather to Kenji and the shorter young man could not bring himself to walk away from his blunt remarks and teasing "baka deshi"s. 

Kenji had planned on returning to Tokyo after his yearlong stay with Hiko but upon arriving at the Aoiya to send a letter of correspondence to his parents, he was reunited with Shinomori Aoshi and Misao. They were infectious from the quiet solitude of Aoshi to the cheerful persistence of Misao. He probed and prodded things from them—from running a business to the omitsu. They're eldest daughter Kumiko was also a great pain and balm to Kenji's heart, for she was as old as his heart's desire and as equally as caring. He found himself becoming attached to the young girl the way a brother would and endured her ever-crushing hugs and endearments of "Kenji-sama". It was through her that Kenji got her blue-eyed father to teach him how to use kodachis and other weapons. The young red haired youth also learned kenpo in a speed that surprised and surpassed the teacher. Another year had passed and he finally returned to Tokyo with Kumiko clinging onto him all the way. 

Once arriving in his home city, he realized that three years had already passed and that he felt stronger both physically and in spirit, yet his heart was troubled and ached dearly for the smile of his golden eyed love. Kenshin had greeted his son with open arms and a new prospect for Kenji's training. For the first time in his life Kenji met his uncle, Yukishiro Enishi. 

The white haired man offered to train the youngest Himura his own sword style, after seeing a spectacular display of Kenji's tremendous strength and gifts. Kaoru had been hesitant in letting Kenji leave simply because they had not seen the boy in over two years. But Kenshin convinced her that her son was no longer a baby but a man and that he was a greater man than any they both had ever encountered. Kenji left with Enishi and Kumiko who had insisted that she go with him to train. 

The last year of Kenji's development for Saitou's approval went slower than the previous three simply because his heart was anxious to see the face of his beloved. He met his twin cousins, Tomoyo and Touma, and though the four had become good friends and companions, he could not help but feel lonely without his petite friend. So when the end of the fourth year came to a close he was nervous and fidgety to leave China, which had become a second home to him, and return to Japan in search of his heart's desire. 

"Mou Kenji-sama! Don't ignore me!" Kumiko protested her two long braids moving as she shifted her feet. 

Kenji looked down at her slightly for she was quite tall and was almost the same height as him. "I'm sorry Kumiko-dono," Kenji had picked up his father's bizarre habit of the honorary suffix and it drove the women around him insane. "I had my mind preoccupied with things." Kenji was unnaturally secretive when it came to things about him, Kaoru had once said it was because Kenshin was the same in nature, so he had never made mention to anyone about his reasons to why he was seeking a stronger mindset and strength. To him it was unnecessary for them to know. Which was why he was a constant frustration to both Kumiko and Tomoyo, these two girls did not understand why Kenji did not take interest in either of them no matter what they did. 

Kumiko pouted and sighed as she leaned against the railing of the deck of the ship. "Are you that anxious to go home?" 

Kenji chuckled and nodded. "Yes. It's been a long time since I've last seen my parents and I worry about their health. It's by the grace of God that they haven't yet left this world." 

Kumiko nodded and smiled at the handsome red head. "I suppose that's a good reason to go. I'll miss China terribly though." She said wistfully as she looked over her silk covered shoulder to the docks where Enishi was waiting for the ship to depart. 

"Me too." Kenji added looking to his left where his two younger cousins were leaning over the railing in a daring act of acrobatics. On the shore Enishi paled and was about to shout a stern warning when both teenagers leaned back and smiled at their stressed out father. "You two shouldn't do that to him." Kenji scolded them gently. 

"Aw, but it's so much fun to see him worry about us like that!" Tomoyo giggled as she leaned against Kenji's shoulder much to Kumiko's annoyance. Tomoyo was older than Kumiko by two years yet acted younger. She had dark honey skin and large wide teal eyes that made her seem just as young. Kenji had learned from the months that he had been with her that this was Tomoyo's way of catching people off guard. She looked more like her father with her dark obsidian hair than her brother did with his spiked chestnut tresses. 

"Oi, Kenji! What's Japan like anyway?" Touma asked as he copied Kumiko's pose of leaning his back against the rail. "Dad says it's rather quiet compared to Shanghai." 

Kenji thought about it for a small while and nodded his head in agreement. It was true that Tokyo had gotten rather robust with Western culture and exchange but it had maintained an air of tradition and peacefulness that Shanghai could not. 

"It's a lot quieter, Tou-kun." Kumiko supplied glaring at Tomoyo who gave the younger girl an innocent look. "And we don't have to deal with improper girls!" 

Tomoyo glared at Kumiko with a tight frown etched on her young face. "Well there is something I can believe, after all _you_ came to China so Japan must be free of such things until you return. " 

"Why you little-" Kumiko growled out her blue eyes blazing. 

Kenji sweat dropped at the situation and waved his hands in a passive manner he'd seen his father do several times. "Maa, maa, calm down you two. Look the ship is leaving now." Sure enough the boat bound to Japan began to move away from the dock. Tomoyo forgot her dispute with Kumiko for a short time to wave goodbye to her father, the other three soon joined in and Enishi smiled at them all before waving back towards them wishing them a safe journey. 

A week later the ship arrived safely without a problem into the harbor in the Kyoto prefecture. They had a small waiting party for the group's return that included the two set of parents and the one whose heart had been waiting for her love's return. Once on shore the groups were to send Enishi a letter to let him know of their safe arrival. It wasn't until two months later when he received a pair of letters from Kenshin and Aoshi that he really began to worry. Their children had never dismounted from the ship and after questioning the captain and crew they were never seen on the ship. Enishi packed his travel bags and headed to Japan immediately hopping to solve this strange mystery and retrieve his children. 

However, the stories never changed, no one aboard the ship had ever seen the group of four on the ship and had never seen them depart from it. Kenshin and Kaoru fell further into their sickness with worry, while Misao and Aoshi used their Oniwaban resources to track their children down. Shiori slipped into depression her heart shattering at the thought that they may be dead while Saitou risked his case's secrecy on helping them. Enishi struggled between finding his children, trusting in the skills he had taught them, and caring for Kenshin and Kaoru. He was suddenly very afraid that if either of them left that all hope would be gone and he would truly be alone. But no matter how hard they all searched nothing was ever uncovered and their misery sent them deeper and deeper into despair. 

It would be an entire year before either of the four would be able to set foot back into Japan and they, upon their return, would find that their parent's lives would be in grave danger and the wedding of Fujita Shiori to Murasaki Naruto was to pass in two weeks.

_August 10th, Meiji 34 (1901) _

"Goodnight Fujita-san!" A young officer by the name of Mizuki Hiro called to the lanky captain as he snorted and walked past the enthusiastic boy. Saitou disliked that particular young man more than anyone else in the building simply because of his annoying good cheer and ability to do things correctly in a timely manner. 

The boy was as tenacious as an iron ship, no matter what torture Saitou put him through he was always cheerful and eager to help the commanding officer. Saitou had once asked the young man to re-file all the reports in the file room by the severity of the case. It took weeks but the boy finished it smiling the brightest smile that had made the wolf even more irritated so Saitou assigned him to make a list of every officer within the western building, their rank, where they were located, age, shoe size, and in alphabetical order. Mizuki did it without error, every stroke was clean and smooth, every kanji correct, all the information placed into simple and understandable form. Saitou would transfer him but he was the only idiot that could write reports correctly and that made Saitou's job a lot easier. 

The aged captain sighed. For all the hell Saitou always put him through Mizuki was a good man and showed a lot of promise, if only he wasn't so damn sunny all the time, then the two of them would get along just fine. 

"Goodnight Sir." The two officers at the gate said in unison and Saitou just waved to them with a gloved hand stuffing the other one into the pockets in of his blue slacks. He was walking down the familiar streets of Kyoto back to his little home that lay within the bustling city. He was somewhat dreading coming home this chilly August night, simply because he didn't know if he could handle seeing Shiori so broken again. Exactly one year ago Himura Kenji never stepped onto Japanese shores and Shiori's heart fell from her hand. 

Saitou was quite sure the boy and his three missing companions were fine and in good health. They just were not here and had not sent word from wherever it was they were. _That_ made Saitou angry. The simple fact that they could not lessen the worry of their disappearance with some sort of letter was displeasing to say the least. It made the wolf want to squash Kenji like the bug he was for making his baby cry like she did. The idiot. 

He stopped at a little stall that was just about to close their shop for the night. For a moment the police captain wondered why they were still here so late. The sun had gone down and most merchants left before sunset. So out of curiosity he stopped and inspected their wares as the merchant patiently waited for him to leave or buy. 

They had a variety of small pendants and other metal works, but what caught his golden eyes was a pair of decorated hairpins. He reached out for the black lacquered objects with thin fingers, gingerly picking them up and being surprised at their light weight. Soft, gray frosted stones were gathered at the ends being held together by thin gold lines that twisted around the wooden base before disappearing into the blackness of the pins. Even in the poor light the stones and gold vines seemed to glow unnaturally. It was a simple but intricate beauty, one that Saitou could appreciate in its skillfulness. 

"How much for these?" Saitou gruffly asked sending his cold gaze over the plump merchant. 

The vendor seemed to pale as the wolf's golden eyes rested on his chubby face. "17-1700 yen sir." The portly man stuttered afraid of the sword the man carried. 

Saitou mulled it over in his head a little. It was a little expensive but the quality was well done and… and it would make her happy. "Alright." He said as casually as if he were talking about the weather before searching his pockets for the required money. The vendor meanwhile wrapped the object carefully in rice paper before tying the little bundle closed with a cord. They exchanged the objects and Saitou gave the merchant a slight nod before walking into the darkened streets. 

Shiori would like them, he was sure. She had a delicate taste for things such as these and it would take her mind off of Kenji and his betrayal. Saitou unconsciously growled lowly in his throat. Mentally he was envisioning slicing the auburn haired youth into tiny pieces. That thought caused a smile to form on his thin lips and a sadistic chuckle to rise. 

The tall man turned down an empty alleyway. He had never said it, but it had disappointed him that Kenji never returned. In a way the wolf would have liked to have his former rival's son to marry his daughter. That time five years ago Saitou had been mildly impressed with Kenji's disposition, though he was having trouble with his father. Kenji had showed respect to those who deserved it, had been unafraid of his challenge and undertook it without hesitation. Kenshin had written to Saitou once when he was in Aziu to pick up Megumi about how Kenji had spent a better part of his day helping others and developing his mind and soul. Saitou had sincerely liked the boy and had smiled slightly through the letter knowing that Kenji would be the one to take care of Shiori when he could not. But it was too late now Shiori would never marry Kenji. 

Saitou was a worrywart, and when it involved any of his children he tended to worry more, he just never showed it. So when it seemed that Kenji was not going to come for his cub he worried that she would not have anyone to take care of her, not that _he_ minded but Megumi had it in her head that Shiori needed to marry. He snorted as he walked into the softly lit street leading to his house. Shiori did _not_ need to marry, she needed to stop thinking about that _moron_. He growled again. 

He knew his daughter was a pretty girl and she was sensible too, so finding a suitor wasn't the problem. They just all happened to be morons…except maybe for one, Murasaki Naruto. When Saitou had first meet the skinny young man that Shiori had brought home with her, he had thought that she was doing one of her little case things again. He shook his head slightly, Shiori thought she could hide it from him but Saitou knew of her little missions to help others. He didn't say anything because she didn't say anything. He knew she would come to him if she needed help. In a small way he was proud of her for undertaking such tasks even if at night when she left with Souzo he would stay up waiting for their return. He was a worrywart he couldn't help it. 

It turned out that Murasaki was the nephew of the Prime Minister that Saitou had traveled with those four years in Europe. He had talked about Murasaki before to Shiori and Saitou had never thought anything of it until that day Murasaki came to his household for dinner. Apparently Murasaki and Shiori had met two years ago somewhere in Europe and he had been persistently pestering Shiori with his affections. After the disappearing act of Kenji and company he worried over her and sought her out more fervently than before. Shiori had turned down all his attentions and attempts to court her—the worry of Kenji still too fresh in her young heart. But suddenly one day she had turned around and invited him! 

Saitou had learned that Shiori was sneaky and cunning; it gave him mixed feelings about her character at times and just how truthful she was being. He had thought that she had relented to inviting him to dinner only because he knew several officials that traveled around the world and had connections everywhere. The raven-haired girl was just using Murasaki to help her gather information on the whereabouts of Kenji. However, Shiori had never mentioned Kenji to Murasaki nor asked him about helping her find him. It struck Saitou as odd. 

Saitou had been incredibly surprised when Megumi said that Shiori was starting to take their relationship seriously. At first he had blown it off as one of doctor's babble but when Murasaki appeared to him one day asking for Shiori's hand in marriage, he seriously thought that Shiori had forgotten the youngest Himura. He had not given the brown haired boy an answer instead speaking directly to Shiori about the proposal. He had seen her eyes flash gold several times during their conversation betraying her true thoughts and intentions. Saitou wasn't quite sure what she was up to but she said she wanted to marry the young man so he didn't object… after arguing with Megumi for three weeks about it at least. 

Sneaky little fox, she found ways to make his life miserable in those three weeks until he relented and gave in to their request. That had been months ago and in another month she was to marry the merchant but still Shiori had made no mention to call the marriage off and that made him worry. He was afraid that she might be getting into some thing much deeper than she had originally imagined. 

The swordsman stopped underneath one of the streetlamps and turned around slowly his hand coming up to grip the hilt of his katana. Other than him the streets appeared to be empty and devoid of other people but he knew better and felt the killing aura long before he had left the merchant's stall. 

"There is no point in hiding. I know you are there." Saitou called out casually as if bored. Two figures appeared, their faces shadowed by the low light. Saitou quickly took in what little of their appearance he could for later analyzing. _'Dark suits, looks like a navy blue or maybe royal violet. Omitsu? Looks Asian…China? India? Connected to case? Maybe, maybe not. Look young 20 or 30 years or age. Hn… punks with no respect for their elders. ' _

"Just two? A little confident now aren't we?" He smirked as he drew his sword from its sheath, readying himself for the attack. They were going to learn that no one came to the Wolf of Mibu looking for a fight they couldn't win. Clouds covered the waning moon shrouding the three in darkness. They were still, frozen in time as the moon reappeared behind the wisps of mist and fell to the drawn katana kissing the cool metal gently with its glow. 

There was a blinding flash of light and Saitou felt a slight pressure behind his eyes. He instinctively covered them with his right hand, never loosening his grip on his sword. _'What the hell was that?'_ The other figure lunged forward, fist flying and he tried to dodge and counter strike but it was as if he was moving through water, his movements slowing down and his opponent stopping the counter attack easily. The force pf the impact sent his bones rattling as Saitou was pushed back several feet. 

Saitou narrowed amber eyes at his attacker as he got a good look at his roughish features. "Well I didn't think I'd see you again." Was all he said as he launched a simple gatotsu but the attack was once again slowed and the counter strike stopped. _'Damn. I'm moving too slow!' _Saitou spit out the blood that had collected in his mouth from the punch the young man had placed against his jaw. "You've gotten better." He remarked casually inwardly cursing at his inability to wipe the smirk off the square jaw. The slight pressure had turned into a throbbing headache, his eyes pulsating with each beat of his heart. 

"And you've gotten slow." The fighter remarked smirking at Saitou before getting into another fighting stance. "It's time to take you to your grave old man." 

"We'll see about that, Ahou." Once again another more refined gatotsu was prepared but it never made its mark. Saitou fell to his knees clutching his head as the intensity of the pressure grew. It was as if thousands of knives were being shoved into his head tearing and ripping it apart. He cried out clutching his head as the pain increased a thousand fold. His eyes burned and teared in an attempt to elevate the tremendous pain. He couldn't think. Couldn't breathe. His mind was solely focused on one thing and one thing only, the pain.

The fighter grinned down at him before picking up the fallen sword holding it high above Saitou ready to strike downwards through flesh and bones. Saitou mildly acknowledged the threat and tried to ignore the pain so that he could at least dodge the blow but his limbs froze and his muscles refused to work. One word coursed through his mind, the one thing he knew he needed to live for. _'Shiori…' _And then the world went black for the wolf as warm blood rained down on him. 


	2. Ch 2

_AN: _Kononichi wa! How are all of you mina-san? I'm good and still alive it seems... though sometimes... Sorry I took so long on this chapter! I just couldn't get it to work out. ;_;

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Kenshin and since getting aired on Toonami all the prices have been jacked up at Anime Conventions much to the displeasure of this Anime Con Hopper (TM). -_- Grr... Stupid Toonami....

* * *

**Sins of the Fathers**

**Ch.2 **

_August 10th, Meiji 34 (1901)_

Shinomori Misao. Still to this day the name seemed bizarre to her. As if it was almost too fantastic to be real, it held too much of a dream-like quality, yet it was a reality and reality was hardly fanciful. The dark haired woman, for that was what she now, a woman, no longer that child ninja chasing after her Aoshi-sama, but a woman. She had changed physically becoming womanlier after giving birth to two healthy children. Her voice had changed from that whimsical childlike tone to one that spoke volumes with just one word or glance. Her children had learned to respond to that quickly, her husband was still learning to this day. Misao snorted softly. _'Men.'_ Yet her mindset never changed too much during the years, she was naive at best but mature in the finest regards.

The dark haired woman lay on the white futon as the morning sun crept in through the panels of the sliding door, yet it failed to light the darkness that enshrouded her. Misao could have been claimed to be one of the seven wonders of the Eastern world for she was better at masking her emotions than those warriors around her. She sighed and rolled over to glare at the sunbeams that dared to disturb her sleepless tirade. Sunlight meant morning, morning meant getting up, and getting up meant she had to face the one person she could not.

Shinomori Aoshi. Misao was used to the uncommunicative man, silence was his nature just as cheerfulness was hers. It had not bothered her before their marriage and yet there was a glimmer of hope that once they were united in the bonds of common love that there would be a pathway opened between their souls. It did not happen rapidly, did not happen immediately, it didn't even start to happen until their first child was born. Aoshi never opened up to his wife and Misao was constantly frustrated with her one sided conversations.

When Kumiko appeared into the world she had taken the seal off her father's lips and Misao finally got to carry part of the burden that Aoshi insisted was his alone. It was small starting with memories of when Hannya used to do this, or Beishimi used to do that until the silent man finally broke the barriers that he had raised between him and his wife. Misao loved him for that and it had made her feel closer to the man she had loved.

Had loved. She chuckled darkly to herself as her thoughts carried her over to a snowy haired man with the most intense teal eyes she had ever seen. It wasn't until she met the white haired man that she realized what she was missing so much in her marriage, passion. Aoshi was romantic when he wanted to be and Misao was a practical girl to know the romance wasn't what made two people fall in love. Communication was what opened the road between souls, merging them as one, not that animalistic ritual of lust and want, but talking and sharing the things that made one similar and different from the next. However, passion was what drove these conversations to the most intimate of levels bonding souls for an eternity. Aoshi lacked passion as well as speaking skills. 

Kaoru had explained to the younger woman that it had taken her a while to break the walls that Kenshin placed up, but everyday, when Kenshin felt like he could, she would learn something new that made her husband all the more beautiful in her eyes. Misao was envious of her, furiously so. She wanted that. She wanted to know what Aoshi thought about her, about her friends, about the business they ran, the children they raised, the marriage they lost. She wanted to know if he still loved her or if, like her, had forgotten what that love was. Misao wanted to see the beauty in the marriage that she had envisioned and dreamed about when she was young. Where was the passion so many that were married talked about?

She had tried to be patient about it, tried not to let it wear her down, but there was only so much a person could take. She was frustrated often with the blue eyed man to the point were she would just ignore his existence and continue on with life. She hated the fact that though they shared a room, a bed, a home, they were as far apart as the east was from the west. Where was the passion? The undying happiness? Had she waited so long for this disillusion of love?

The petite ninja bit back a groan as a knock was heard on the doors adjacent to the hall. Okon's soft voice wafted through, telling her that it was time for breakfast. Misao stilled her movements and her breathing, wanting to let the older ninja assume she was still asleep. Okon knocked again and waited for a response to her plea. She sighed when she received none and walked back down the hall, the tray in her hand shaking slightly with the frustration she held in.

Misao wanted to fade away forever, wanted a hole to open up underneath her and have it swallow her whole. Today, exactly one year today, the one connection she had with her husband disappeared. She hated him. Hated the way he just clamped up and told her everything would be all right. Hated it. She knew everything wasn't all right, but that there was hope. She knew that there was pain, but that could be eased. She hated his lies and false hope that he tried to fill her with. She just hated him. 

Misao rolled onto her back again and stared at the wooden ceiling wishing slightly that one of the beams would break and pin her to the bed. Would he cry if she died? Did he even care about their son? How long could she stay in bed until Enishi would come and shake her till she screamed? How long indeed.

"Mommy?" A small child's voice asked from behind the rice doors. Misao closed her eyes before taking a deep breath. How could she have forgotten? Forgotten how much that small voice meant to her? How much it still needed her? _'I'm such a horrible mother._'

The door slide open and the sounds of two small feet padding their way towards her prone form tugged at her heart's strings. "Mommy? Are you asleep?" The soft voice asked whispering loudly just in case.

Misao smiled and rolled over to her side snoring loudly. This elicited a giggle from the young boy as he ran over to the other side of the futon to get a better look at her contoured face. Misao let out a special loud, throat-choking snore before snaking out one hand from under the covers to grab the laughing child. He squealed in surprise and moved to get away from the thin arms. However Misao sat up quickly reaching over for the dark haired boy and drawing him in for a fierce hug before lying back down onto the futon and resuming her mock snores.

"M-mommy!" The child laughed causing a laughing snore to rise from the delicate woman as brisk, tickling fingers covered whatever baby flesh was ticklish.

"Mm? Why is my pillow moving around?" Misao asked trying to sound sleepy and failing. The five-year-old boy laughed some more putting more force into getting away. Misao winced as he placed a particularly strong push on her stomach knocking the air out of her. He wiggled out of her loose grasp giggling and laughing running towards the open door. Misao regained her bearings and stretched across the futon to catch him once again. He cried out in delight and she opened eyes to look at him. "Why Touya-chan! Why are you my pillow?"

"I'm not mommy! You thought I was!" Touya giggled again before turning to the door. "Daddy!"

Misao was so surprised that she let the boy go without resistance. The young boy ran to the tall blue-eyed man, hiding behind his legs. Aoshi watched them impassively before bending down to his son's level.

"Daddy! Mommy thought I was her pillow!" Touya cried out laughing and looking at his mother incase she tried to get him again.

Aoshi smiled softly. "She did?" Touya give an energetic nod that nearly toppled the boy over. Aoshi patted his son's head and looked over towards Misao who was busy with the lint on the covers. "Touya, Omasu needs help doing the laundry why don't you help her?"

"Okay!" Touya cried out gleefully, fully unaware of the tension that was slowly building up between his parents. He fled the room with his arms spread out at his sides flapping them up and down like a bird's wings.

_'I wish I could fly too…'_ Misao blinked back the tears that welled up in her jade eyes as she watched her son leave. Suddenly the walls seemed to close and the air too stiff. It was suddenly so hard to breath and move just right. Her wings had been clipped and she had been thrown into a cage forgotten and left to die. 

"Misao?" Aoshi's face appeared suddenly before her, eliciting a small yelp of surprise. He reached out for her and she backed away flinching from him. Aoshi's heart cracked again. He hated that look of fear that crossed into her dark eyes and every time it did his heart would break just a little more. He was crouched before the petite woman resting his weight on the balls of his feet. He rested his hands back on his legs.

It wasn't as if she meant to hurt him with her reaction, it was just that from experience Aoshi's hands tended to be freezing. Misao was still feeling the lulling effects of the warm futon that she still had not abandoned and icy fingers would have caused morning to be even more of a reality. The dark haired woman frowned as she watched hurt flicker in and out of the dark eyes briefly like a light, yet he said nothing.

Misao sighed and turned her head to the side not wanting to stare at him any further. She was just so tired. Tired of waiting for him to take the initiative and try to talk to her. Their marriage was built upon piles and piles of misunderstandings, from icy hands to Enishi's role in Misao's life. They could easily be rectified with just a few words. But she was tired of being the one who cared enough to instigate the conversations that would save their marriage.

_'Enishi would've asked.'_ Misao thought bitterly as her husband sighed and stood up as if the event that took place never happened. The petite woman sucked in a shaky breath and blinked back the tears. It was always the same. The pain didn't exist, the hurt wasn't there, he just ignored her and her feelings, ignored the tension. Everyday the temptation to leave grew bigger and the reasons to stay smaller. _'Talk to me… Please.'_ Her thoughts went unheard.

Aoshi walked towards the door unable to bear the pain anymore. He stopped at the doorframe and spoke with his back to her. "Breakfast is ready." With that Aoshi stepped into the hallway closing the rice door behind him.

Misao's bottom lip quivered as she heard the door shut softly. She wanted to cry so badly, wanted it with all her might but she couldn't. It wasn't that there were no tears, because she could find them, it was the fact that so many people wanted her to smile. If she was sad then everyone worried and their own painful memories would resurface. It was something the small woman had learned long ago.

Misao threw back the covers forcibly. She needed to get out. Needed to get away for a few hours. Any thoughts of food were far from her mind but she just needed to get out, get some fresh air. She quickly made the futon, hiding it away from view before dressing herself in a nice, plain cream kimono. She hated wearing the silk things but she had learned that it just wasn't proper for a married woman with two children to go trekking around with shorts. However, she would have traded in her kimono for her ninja uniform since it was easier to sneak around with.

Misao passed as small pale hand across the soft material thoughtfully. It was a birthday present from Kumiko. The thought of her oldest daughter brought fresh tears to her eyes. So many thoughts ran through her head. Would she ever see her again? Was she alive? Dead? Lost? Was she happy? Sad? When was the last time she ate? Sleep? Was she warm? Cold? So many things plagued Misao's mind over the months since her daughter's disappearance. Why, if she was okay, didn't she contact them? Just where was she?

The sounds of laughter caused the older woman to pause before rounding the corner. She could clearly hear her young son's voice bubbling with laughter as it mingled with Omasu's cheerful tone. The sound of splashing and soft reprimands reminded Misao of the time when Kumiko used to help around the house…or rather destroy the house. The raven haired woman felt a smile tug at her face as she peeked over the corner, watching with large glassy eyes as her son folded the small pieces of cloth with perfection. Kumiko was never like that, as a matter of fact as much as the young girl resembled her father she wasn't anything like him. She was clumsy, loud and vivacious…tending to act before thinking. Misao shook her head softly. Kumiko was more like her than anyone else in the family.

Her smile wavered a bit. _'Maybe that is why…'_ Misao knew that being on your own was no easy task, yet she survived all those lonely nights alone searching for Aoshi. However, Misao had been more fully trained in the omitsu than Kumiko, or so she imagined. _'No… Kumiko was trained with Kenji-kun and—and Kenji was very, very good so they would've taken care of each other right? Right?'_

Misao took a deep breath and waited as the two inhabitants of the backyard left with the dry laundry. So many of those questions ran through her mind everyday, every minute and she could share them with no one but Enishi. Enishi understood and worried too, he asked the same of her whenever they met. Were their children together or separated? Could they trust that they taught them all they knew? What about this or that? He asked her for comfort and she did the same. They both knew that dwelling in the doubts and fears would only lead them to exhaustion but then they would smile and remember small things about their children that let them know that they were safe. Why couldn't Aoshi do that with her? Worry and fret over them? Remember the special things about them? Why did he always act like it was already over and that they were only searching for the dead bodies?

Misao rubbed her eyes with the palms of her small hands. _'I need to stop doing this to myself.'_ She quickly rushed across the soft grass towards the back gate of the garden. She checked around and behind her incase of prying eyes that might stop her excursion. It seemed like an eternity before Misao reached the gate and as soon as she stepped out she let out the breath that she had unknowingly held. Gathering her kimono in one hand she trotted through the alleyway until she was on the main street that the front of the Aoiya faced. Fixing the kimono to look more presentable Misao held her head high checking to make sure her hair was still pinned back before stepping onto the cobbled street.

"Mou Kenshin!" Himura Kaoru frowned at her husband before smacking him lightly on the offending arm that dared to intercede between her and her prey.

"Maa, Maa, Kaoru-dono." Kenshin gently pried the white knuckled fingers from the their grip on the wooden sword. "I think he's had enough punishment for today."

Miyojin Yahiko may have grown in height and age but had managed to stunt his growth in maturity and his relentless teasing. The man, who inhabited his mid thirties, still insisted on calling his master and elder busu tanuki, which still earned him a nice bruising on the top of his head. 

Seventeen year-old Shin'Ya watched as his father's prone form began to twitch slightly informing all those around him that he was still alive and in pain. _'Baka.'_ The young man idly wondered if it was possible to disinherit your father on the case of severe stupidity. "Oh father…" Shin'Ya muttered out before turning back to the two short adults whom were busy quarreling over whether or not Yahiko had enough sense beaten into him, before falling onto the man who watched the two with a bored expression on his handsome face… Yukishiro Enishi.

The two had done better recently under his constant care and threats, their sickness becoming more of an after thought than a prominent concern. Yet today, today they seemed slower to the young Miyojin, seemed a bit more easily upset and brought down. Enishi himself was berating them less and drifting off into his own little world.

It troubled the young man like nothing else. This mismatched family was his greatest treasure and he cared greatly for it. When they were in pain Shin'Ya was the first to sympathize and try to help them. Kenshin had once said that what differed the young man the most from his father was that he had inherited his mother's empathic nature.

"Lunch is ready!" Tsubame's soft voice filtered through the air and the squabble, causing them all to stop and head towards the main house of the dojo. Yahiko managed to peel himself off the floor and rush towards his wife's voice ignoring the black haired woman who commanded an apology. Shin'Ya shook his head as he leaned against the doorway of the dojo watching them enter the main gathering room.

Enishi however did no move from his spot in the sidelines. The white haired man just stared at the floorboards as if they held all the answers to the world within their grain. _'A year…An entire year and still no word from them. Is it time to just give up all hope?'_ He asked the wood internally. He imagined he could see his children's faces within the lines of the polished floor, he thought he heard their laughter for a brief moment before the heavy sounds of feet against the floor overpowered it.

"Enishi-san?" Shin'Ya's voice wavered a bit in uncertainty as dull teal eyes meet his. "Dai-Daijoubou?" Everything about the man screamed hopelessness, from the way his broad tan shoulders sagged to the wilting stalks of snowy hair. Enishi blinked and nodded before rising slowly, he patted the shorter boy on the head as he passed by silently to join the rest of the family in their meal.

Shin'Ya watched them his heart aching suddenly. They were dead, all of them. Kenshin, Kaoru, Enishi, his parents… ever since Kenji disappeared they had been dead. They walked around like zombies living within an empty hull of what they used to be. It hurt like a thousand beatings. Hurt deep within his soul. His family that was usually so lively was dead. The heaviness in the young man's soul bound him to the wooden floor as he wept.

There was a roar of sound as people moved to and fro with their daily routines ignoring the short woman who seemed to be in no hurry at all. She moved through them like a leaf floating down towards the ground moving gently with the flow but never in a rush. Merchants at their stands tried to get her attention shouting out their best deals and showing off their best wares, yet she eyed each item with disinterest as their sales pitches died on her ears.

The petite woman looked forlornly at the new Western style buildings that lined the streets and the lines of wire that ran along side the newly implemented sidewalks on tall polls before running into buildings or little free standing 'booths.' The telephone, as it was called, was said to be able to let two people talk to each other as if they were standing side by side. A telephone system had been discussed for the Oniwabanshuu but it was much too expensive to place into all their operations and in order to hide all the wires in a place like the Aoyia they would have to convert it into a Western style building. The pigeon system they had was just perfect for them.

Misao had never seen the streets of Kyoto so busy before, or maybe it was because she usually was in the hustle and bustle of the day that she never noticed. Either way she had never seen so many people on the streets, countrymen in traditional and Western clothing and Foreigners just walking about and doing business. Jade green eyes narrowed slightly in thought, maybe she had forgotten about something important today in national affairs.

"Miss! Miss! Buy some fresh fish miss? There's a two for one special today ma'am." Misao sighed. Whenever she was shopping she never got those deals she always had to hassle and threaten in order to get good prices. _'I really need to start doing this uncaring bit when I go out.'_

The raven haired ninja placed a smile on her face and turned around to wave the man off, showing her disinterest, when she recognized the face. It was a new Oniwaban member, Souma Hatsuharu. Ever since Misao had taken brief leadership new ideas had been spinning in her head, ideas to expand the hotel to other areas of Kyoto and Japan. They now had two in Kyoto, the Aoiya and the Ginko while one in Tokyo, the Crane, and one in Osaka, the Tanoshii. Misao had also wanted to keep the Oniwabanshuu in tact with bodyguard offers to those select few that stayed in their hotels. However, the Oniwaban just could not stay out of political affairs and still gathered information.

"Fresh you say?" Misao wandered a bit closer to the stand looking down at the fish with a careful eye.

"Yes ma'am." Hatsuharu flashed her a smile that made the woman blush slightly. He was a young man around the age of twenty with a broad frame and laughing brown eyes. Short, spiky black hair reminded her of Yahiko or Sanosuke. 

"How fresh?" She asked going back to looking at the fish.

"Just caught them this morn'."

Misao nodded and placed a finger to her chin. "How much are the fish?"

Hatsuharu pointed to two wooden boxes that held two varieties of fishes in them. "Well if you buy half a pound of the tuna then you can have half a pound of salmon for free."

Misao smiled and nodded. "That'll be perfect. I'll take this one," Misao pointed to one of the fishes. "And…this one."

Hatsuharu nodded and took the fishes to wrap them up for her. While he was doing that he asked. "Know what you're going to cook them like?"

At that moment Misao's stomach reminded her that she had not eaten breakfast and it was well past lunchtime. She gave the younger man a watery smile. "No, not really. Do you have any suggestions?"

Hatsuharu thought about it and gave her another large smile. "My wife makes the best fried fish with these and some Miso soup."

"Hum… that sounds quite delicious." Misao said again placing a finger on her chin.

Hatsuharu chuckled softly and gave the wrapped package to the shorter woman. "Down the street there should be a vegetable stand run by a portly ol' lady. She always has good deals and fresh stock."

Misao took the offered item and bowed to the man. "Thank you very much. I'll go there soon."

"You might want to hurry ma'am. It looks like it's going to rain." Hatsuharu warned.

Misao frowned and looked at the sky, it was a clear blue. She nodded her thanks and walked off in a trot. It was funny before getting to the fish stand she had forgotten that she was a ninja, but as soon as she left her senses were alert. How could she have been so stupid? Thankfully she had stayed in the busy streets all day if not then an attack would have been quite the surprise. She was being followed for how long she didn't know, if not for Hatsuharu's warning she would probably never even realized it.

Every instinct inside her small frame cried for her to run and attack, but Misao forced those emotions down concentrated on her goal. She had to pass on the information, if what Hatsuharu said was true then--then things were about to get very ugly. Misao's head swirled with all the topics of importance she had over heard during lunches and dinner with her family, things that she had never really paid too much attention to at the time. Her green eyes landed on the crowds of people in the city and she frowned. There were so many foreigners…

Misao let out a sigh of relief once she arrived at the vegetable stand were a plump, elderly sat under the shade of her parasol. Dark eyes wrinkled into a warm smile and for a moment Misao forgot what she was going to say. She took a deep breath and steeled her nerves.

"Konichiwa, Obaba-san." Bowing to the older woman she took a quick glance to her sides to see if she could spot her pursuer.

The older woman nodded and her old voice cracked with years of use. "Konichi wa. What can I do for you today?"

Misao looked at the vegetables that were collected together in the small tar sealed baskets. There were two types she was specifically looking for that the Oniwabanshuu used to mean weapons and diplomat. It was a hidden message she had received at Hatsuharu's fish stand and it was a hidden message she was to pass on. "May I please have some burdock and… some Misato Rose?" 

The old woman waited for a second before nodding and standing up from her perch to wrap the two objects. Old wrinkled hands shook slightly as the grasped the thin paper firmly. "Ah, this is the best time to buy these." 

Misao nodded looking around at the crowded streets. "Yes it is." _'A very good time to plan a killing.' _"It looks like it might rain." 

The old woman chuckled taking her sweet time in preparing Misao's purchases. "Yes, it does but I don't that will stop tonight's festivities." 

Misao looked at the aged merchant with surprised jade eyes. "Festivities?" 

The woman stopped her slow motions for a moment and looked up at the younger girl. "Didn't you know? There is going to be a big party tonight at Musabi's house. It supposed to be filled with foreign dignitaries and diplomats as well as those from high society." 

It was a kick in the stomach to Misao. She hadn't known! The need to be urgent resurfaced and she suddenly wished the woman wasn't taking her time in wrapping the two bundles of vegetables. "I see… That explains all the foreigners out and about today." 

A white head bobbed in agreement before pausing again to hand the petite woman her purchases. "There you go, dear. Speaking of foreigners," Obaba-san leaned in close resting her withered hand on Misao's young one. "Have you tasted some of their fruits?" 

Misao shook her head sending her black bangs flying about her heart shaped face. "Not that many actually." 

"My dear, old friend and I have tasted 'peach' and 'strawberries.' They are both very sweet in flavor." The old woman nodded her eyes glazing over as if she were reliving the taste. "You have not lived until you tried one of them."

Misao smiled warmly down at her and squeezed the hand tenderly. "I'll make sure to try them both one day. Thank you very much for all your help. Have a good day, Obaba-san." Once again the tiny ninja bowed to her elder before making her way back onto the streets.

She clutched the packages close to her self her nerves slowly liquefying. She wasn't going back to the Aoiya, not with the foreigner following her. Misao smiled softly to herself remembering the old woman she had left behind. The way she had told her to not give up on this upcoming fight was heart warming to say the least, especially since they could not out loud worry for the other. Pride seeped into her step as she though more about how far the Oniwabanshuu had come from its demise at the beginning of the Meiji. They were few but growing, small but powerful, old but wise. So many that had joined for various reasons, loyalty to her father, to the old ways, to the new future, it made her proud and she knew that she could not be happy without physically passing it to her son, Touya.

_'I can't give up before the fight! I have to beat this man and live to go home tonight.'_ With a new resolve and her kunai in check, Misao stepped out of the busy streets and into the dark alleyways.

It was dark when Shin'Ya woke up, the cold of the polished floor seeped into his bones waking him from his dreamless sleep. He rubbed a large, calloused hand across his droopy eyelids before looking around the darkened dojo. _'Huh? When did I fall asleep?'_ The young man stretched lazily yawning as his eyes adjusted to the nightfall.

Shin'Ya stood up slowly letting the small popping sounds of his joints fill the empty silence that permeated the air. It was so strange for him to see the dojo so dark… so empty… usually it was filled with light from lanterns and the voices of other people. He shivered slightly as the silence raised the fine hairs on the back of his neck. It was unnerving the way the dojo just seemed so still.

"Shin'Ya?" At the sound of the soft voice the young man nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned quickly his senses alert and pupils dilated. The bokken that had previously been at his feet was now in his tight grip. Standing at the entrance with a surprised look was Kenshin his short hair moving with the cool breeze. As Shin'Ya slowly recognized the figure all his screaming senses calmed and relief flooded through him.

"Hi-himura-san, you startled me." The young boy let out a soft chuckle as he relaxed his hold on his weapon.

Kenshin nodded slightly. "Ah, gomen, de gozaru." A part of the red head's heart ached as he watched the young man before him. _'Kenji… where are you?'_ "You are getting better." Kenshin commented quietly motioning to the wooden sword within Shin'Ya's hands.

The youngest Miyojin looked down at his weapon as if noticing that he was holding it for the first time and gave a small non-committal grunt. "I still have a lot to learn. Dad is going too easy on me."

Kenshin chuckled as he remembered when Kenji said the same thing about his mother years ago.

_"Mou! Otousan! Tell Okasaan to stop going so easy on me! At this rate I'll never master the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu!"_

"Himura-san?" Shin'Ya peered into the pale face a few inches below him. He had grown much in the last few years and still had much more to go.

Kenshin blinked the far off look falling from his face as he returned his attention to Shin'Ya. "Ah, I'm sorry. I was just remembering something."

The dark haired boy nodded. "About Kenji right?" Kenshin nodded slowly and gave him a watery smile. Shin'Ya shook his head before shouldering his bokken. "You shouldn't worry so much." Kenshin blinked confused violet eyes at the blue-eyed boy. Shin'Ya smiled warmly touching something inside the red head. "Kenji is alright and one day he'll come bounding through the gates demanding for some good food. Have more faith in your son, Himura-san. You taught him well."

Kenshin just started in awe at the boy for a brief moment before smiling a truer smile and nodding. "Yes, you're right, de gozaru yo. I should have more faith in his abilities." The elder Himura lowered his head letting his jagged bangs cover his eyes. Had he always distrusted his son? Distrusted in the abilities that he had seen and watched grow within the boy? When had he felt that there was no hope? That Kenji was lost forever? When had he forgotten that Kenji was smart, resourceful and relentless?

Shin'Ya shifted from foot to foot before Kenshin looked back up an unreadable expression on his thin face. "Thank you Shin'Ya. Sessha had forgotten that Kenji is strong."

Shin'Ya nodded taking a step towards him. "No problem Himura-san. Everyone needs to be reminded about things every once in a while. Just don't give up hope. What do you think Kenji will say when he sees how you and Kaoru-san have just wasted away?"

Kenshin lowered his head again, guilt washing over him. He had never thought of that. All the time he had dwelled on the thought that he might never see his son again that the possibility of him returning seemed so impossible. What if he returned tomorrow and saw the sorry state that he had kept him and his wife in? What about the dreary mood of the dojo that had become a permanent fixture in every inch and grain of the wood? The poor conditions that everyone had left the dojo in, the leak in the kitchen roof, the broken tiles that needed to be changed. What would he say to all that?

_"Maa, maa, Otousan. I'll take care of repairing it. You just keep Okasaan and Yahiko-niisan from breaking it again!" _

Kenshin let out a small chuckle as the memory passed through his mind. How he missed his son and his cheerful smile. He even missed their arguments and Kenji's burning eyes. There were times where he dreamed that his son had returned to him and everything was all right. Then he would awaken to find the house empty of his boisterous laughter and fiery temper. Kenshin would give anything right now just to see his son again, to hold him in a tight embrace never letting him go.

Shin'Ya shivered as the night's cold air entered the dojo tickling his bare feet. The nights were getting colder as winter approached. Soon it would be too cold to go bare foot around. "Come on Himura-san. It's late and you shouldn't be out in the cold." Shin'Ya made his way over to the shorter man pulling him with him as he stepped out of the practice hall. "Besides I'm kinda hungry since I skipped lunch."

Kenshin laughed along with the young man beside him as he walked towards the warmth of his home. "Ah, well I do believe that is your fault for sleeping in the dojo, that it is." 

Shin'Ya chuckled. "You are a funny man, Himura-san. A really funny man."

Kenshin was about to respond when the air around him cracked and the rush of wind sped across his face. Sleeping reflexes snapped awake and took hold of the offending object that was about to embed itself within the young flesh beside him Violet eyes quickly darted to the thin arrow that he held as the energy around him sparked to life. "Run!" He yelled as more thin shafts sliced through the still air towards the two uncovered victims.

Blood pumped in his ears as Kenshin shoved the younger boy ahead of him throwing him into the bushes and shielding him with his worn body. He yelled for help and groped blindly for the wooden sword he knew Shin'Ya had been carrying with him. Pain shot up his leg as an arrow sunk deep within his thigh. He bit back the urge to cry out and tumbled into the bushes with his charge.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru's voice rang clear through the air as two grunts were heard and several sounds of arrows impacting with wood mixed into the fray. He heard more screaming and cursed under his breath trying desperately to stand up. Kenshin had to admit that the worst thing about any fight was not being able to see what was going on.

"Kaoru!" Yahiko yelled desperation laced within his deep tones as the sound of flesh meeting flesh sounded nearby. Beside him Shin'Ya cradled his broken arm and tried to pull his sword free from the tangles of the foliage. He was finally able to pull in free with a strong tug but the sword followed his momentum and hit Kenshin in the face effectively breaking his nose. 

Kenshin grunted in pain and rolled onto his side as a katana blade sliced through the air and landed in the ground between the two. Shin'Ya gasped but brought his bokken down on the offending weapon clumsily. His sword arm had been cracked with his and Kenshin's fall therefore leaving him with an arm he barely used to fight with.

"Kaoru! Karou! Open your eyes!" Tsubame pleading voice stung Kenshin's ears and pricked his eyes.

Kenshin screamed with something akin to rage and leapt at the cloth covered man momentarily forgetting his pain and more worried about the images that ran through his mind. However his attack was short lived as his wounded leg gave out on him and sent him sprawling to the dirt floor. Enishi had managed to avoid backing into the fallen swordsman and tripping over him but lost his balance anyway as the heavy set man swung his axe downwards.

It was just chaos and it reminded Kenshin of his days during the Bakumatsu when fighting in the dark alleyways one never quite knew which way was up. Darkness started to spread through his vision and an arrow sunk into the earth beside his head. A wave of nausea swept through him as Yahiko's cries slowly faded out and silence consumed him. Kenshin barely registered the silver gleam of the sword that arced downward towards him.

_"Otousan! Wait for me right here, I promise I'll be back."_

Kenshin closed his heavy eyelids his son's smiling face radiating behind them with the old promise. _'__Gomen Kenji… 'Tousan can't wait anymore…'_

---- tsudzuku ----

* * *

_Arrigato Gozaimasu Mina-san!_ I'd like to give a special Thank You to all the returning readers from **Heart of a Wolf**! As well as another special Thank You to all the new readers! So... THANK YOU!!! ^-^

**Jason M. Lee-** Hello again! ^-^ Hum... what's going on? Oh well you know the usual someone is trying to take over Japan and kill all of humanity so that they can rule the world. Typical megalomania... ^-^ As to where everyone is at? Sore wa Himtdesu. Hee hee ^-^

**Firuze Khanume-** Welcome back! ^-^ Ah... yes... cliffhangers... how I loath to read them but love to write them. ^-^ Looks like another cliffhanger here for you too... and quite possibly for the next few chapters as well Mwuahahahaha!

**Sabbie-** Yay! Hullo again fellow college art student! ^-^ How did your portfolio go? I hope it went well. ^-^ Animation has been my dream job with unfortunate reality results. -_- grr... stupid Universities... -_- Anyway I'm taking two painting classes and one figure drawing class this summer... more nude people. I wonder how many more years I'm going to have to draw the same freakin' people? -_- Anyway thanks for reviewing (I hope it'll be really good too! ^^;;) and good luck with classes! ^-^

**Lady Felicity-** Arrigato for reviewing my story! ^-^ Here's the next chapter for you!

**Toki-** Kenji? Erm... somewhere in *mutter mutter* Thank you for reviewing! ^-^

**Leila Winters-** HUGS! Hee hee Have I seen Fruits Basket? Oh girl I got hooked during Finals week and you know that is a bad thing! ^-^ ("Kyo-kun! Suki, suki WA!" My most favorite Kagura line. ^-^) I completely agree with you! Haru-kun and Enishi-san must be related in some weird anime realm! I took your advice about the break and moved the scenes around. I had originally broken it up but what I had there was moved further back into the story. I'll remember to do the same with Ch.3! Kissed by a cute assassin?! Do I get to keep this assassin? ^.~

**darktenshi-** Welcome back! ^-^ *blink blink* The fighter being Sano? Well [This answer has been censored due to being a spoiler for the rest of the story. Thank you and have a nice day.] You see? *^_^* Kenji and the others are *mumble mumble* And as far as Souzo being Shiori's stepbrother that well be explained more in the next chapter! But thanks for letting me know that because now I have a new scene! \ ^0^ / Yay!

**shien-** I'll keep on writing alright! So please continue reviewing! ^-^ Arrigato!

**Ruki Lee/Rika Wong-** Wai! Welcome back! Yes, nearly everyone wanted a sequel so I did this story. Personally, I think it was because people misunderstood **Ten Days** as far as the coupling went. Most thought Kenji was going to get with someone else other than Shiori! As if I could do that! ^-^ I was thinking of just going and publishing it anyway since I really do like that story. The only problem is if I don't concentrate on one at a time I'll never finish any of them. That and as long as I don't go watching other anime... like my newest obsession D.N.Angel... gah the guy is so hot. ^-^

**Tanuki-dono-** BIG HUGS!! Yay! LOL! Evil Naruto! Poor guy he hasn't even appeared yet and already he has enemies! Maybe I can sway everyone into liking him... and even for Shiori... ::evil grin:: Fufufufu... A definite challenge! Keep working on your wonderful story, art work, and website! I'm building a more complete RKen site and you'll be my first affiliate! ^-^ So please patience I'm still trying to get The Dynasty to work right! @,@x oro....

**sawdust monster-** Arrigato for reviewing my story! Hum... Kenji? Oh there's a good reason! (at least I hope so... ^^;;)


	3. Ch 3

_AN:_ Well after a long delay... mostly due to a bad muse which is attacking again. Mou! I can't decide on what to do about Ch.4!! Don't worry too much though... it should get under control... soon... hopefully... cross your fingers... If you review it might make my muse happy! *^-^* Oh and about the opening and closing themes... blame Tanuki-dono... she got me hooked on the idea! ^-^

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Kenshin or anyone else from the show, I do however own Shiori, Souzo, Kumiko, and that evil, evil man Naruto. ^-^

_Opening Them:_ _WINGS 510_ by _Do As Infinity_

* * *

**Sins of the Fathers**

**Ch.3**

_August 10th, Meiji 34 (1901)_

_"Matte!" Shiori turned at the desperate tone almost slipping on the soft grass. _

_Kenji's eyes were burning with determination and something else she couldn't place her finger on, the blue violet orbs brimmed with amber. It was fascinating! She heard a collective gasp from the people not too far behind her and wanted to turn to look at them but could not tear her gaze from such blazing eyes. _

_"Say you'll wait for me." _

_"What?" She asked more for clarification than anything else. _

_Kenji clenched his fists tightly trying to control his shaking. "Say you'll wait for me and I'll find you." _

_Shiori shook her head her heart threatening to burst from her chest. "You're talking nonsense! Wait for you where?" _

_Kenji's eyes softened a bit before speaking again. "In your heart. Wait for me in your heart and no matter where you go I will find you." _

~*~*~ 

Shiori woke with a start sweat sliding down her temples as she breathed in heavily. She lifted a shaking hand to her pale face, her golden eyes wide. Why was she dreaming those dreams again? This time her dream had been so real she could almost feel the dampness of that mid March night. Why now? Why was she dreaming about him again? About that night again? Did her mind take pleasure in tormenting her so? 

"Oi! Jou-chan! Hurry and get up or I'm eating without you!" Bellowed a deep voice by her shoji door. She said nothing as the sounds of soft footfalls trailed down the hallway away from their earlier post beside her door. 

Shiori resisted a loud groan and instead threw off her covers knowing that her stepbrother would eat her portions without remorse. Her dream was forgotten momentarily with the daily rituals of pampering oneself for presentation to the outer world. She quickly dressed in a yellow kimono with a red leaf print, wrapping the deep red obi around her thin waist. Her hand lingered briefly on the obi with the vine motif embroidered in deep jade. Shiori ignored the rush of grief and continued to shove the memories back into the recesses of her mind. Picking up a small comb she tried to find order in the mess that was her hair and attempt to make it presentable to the outside world. But as soon as the dark haired woman tied the yellow ribbon around the end of her hair the dream rushed back at her nearly knocking her off her feet. 

Shiori reached out a slim hand towards her dresser trying to steady herself from the onslaught of emotions that racked her thin body. She suppressed the tears with a large sob, swallowing it all in an attempt to gather her composure before facing the one person who would interrogate her if she looked the least bit ruffled. She didn't want to deal with that conversation—besides he would never understand. With a deep breath and an unsteady heart Shiori stepped out of her bedroom and into the hallway leading to the main gathering center. 

~*~*~ 

"It's about time you showed up!" Muttered a husky voice from pouting thin lips. Warm chocolate brown eyes twinkled mischievously while a white headband _attempted_ to hold back the wild and unruly spikes. "Well don't you look pretty today..." 

Shiori growled at the taller young man who held up his hands defensively. "Oh shut up you moron." She sat down quickly on the large, square cushion across from Souzo who looked mildly hurt. She didn't dare look at him. 

"Hey, hey, hey!" The black haired boy cried out indignantly running a large hand through his ponytail. "What got stuck up your-" 

Shiori snarled and pointed her black lacquered chopsticks at the man before her. "Say it, Souzou, and I'll personally shove these chopsticks up your-" 

Souzou frowned interrupting her tirade. "Well that's not real ladylike." He eyed her suspiciously from behind the glasses resting on his thin nose. The shorter girl shrunk back under his careful gaze knowing her attempt at their usual banter had failed. "Care to tell me what's wrong?" 

Shiori sniffed before lifting her pointed chin in the air. "No." Souzou stared at the sharply faced woman silently frowning before resuming to eat his breakfast. Shiori glanced at the tanned youth and immediately felt guilty. Ever since they meet five years ago he had been nothing but kind to her, sometimes perverted but mostly kind. He didn't deserve her bitterness or anger. Her reactions were born from years of solitude and though Souzo had gained her trust, albeit roughly, she still failed to let herself trust him with her heart. 

The raven-haired woman sighed before placing her chopsticks on her rice bowl. She pushed herself back a little so that when she bowed her head wouldn't hit the table. "I'm sorry Souzou." She said sadly. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I've just got a lot on my mind." She sat back upright to look at him better. 

Souzou sat up straighter looking down at her from his tall height. "I can see that. Are you nervous about dinner with Murasaki-san?" He asked gently as if poking around a bullet wound. A part of him wanted to shake her and tell her that what she was doing was wrong! All wrong! That she was making a mistake in marrying that bumbling idiot when the one she should look towards was under her nose! Instead the dark haired youth tried to make her happy and support her through his calm gentleness and brotherly kindness. Che, what a joke! 

Shiori winced and pinched the bridge of her pert nose with delicate fingers. "Oh I completely forgot about that! Mou! Souzou! There are going to be so many officials inspecting me down their sharp noses! What am I going to do?" She puffed out her cheeks in irritation earning a laugh from the young man. 

"Gatotsu them all?" 

Shiori glared at him. "I'm serious here! One wrong move and I'll not only put Naruto-kun to shame but Papa as well!" 

Souzou chuckled in his deep baritone voice and shook his head. "I know, I know. But you did promise and it's something you're just going to have to get used to. Murasaki is so important now and these dinner parties with foreign beneficiaries are going to become more frequent." Shiori sighed deeply picking at her food again. Souzo watched her with fascination adding as an after thought, "He's good man, Shiori. He'll be able to take care of you." He said softly almost sadly. Shiori threw him a curious glance before picking at the edges of her long yellow sleeves. 

"I know that, but still… I just wish-" Shiori closed her mouth shut with an audible snap. She blushed prettily and busied herself with the invisible lint on her kimono. She had almost said _his_ name! How silly of her! 

Souzou stopped shoveling rice into his mouth and looked at her questioningly. "You just wish what?" She could already see the fox ears pop onto either side of his head in curious wonderment. 

She sighed and gave him a grim frown. "Nothing! I wish that this wasn't happening is all!" She recovered watching the fox ears droop slightly and then disappear. 

The roughish young man placed his bowl onto the small low table with a gentleness that belied his muscle size. He wished she would just tell him what troubled her so. It had taken him so long to break through most of her polite gestures and strong barriers to come to this point and yet she still did not trust him. He watched her for a little while before turning away with a soft sigh. Sometimes he couldn't stand to look at her and know that he'd never have a place in her heart. "Well, Jou-chan, I have to go help mom at the clinic today. If you need anything you know you can always come to me." The sincere way he said it and the warm understanding look in his dark eyes nearly brought tears into her golden ones. She just nodded and whispered a small 'thank you' afraid that if she said too much everything would spill out. 

She watched his broad back muscles flex and shift under the cotton green kimono as he placed the doctor coat over it. He looked over his shoulder at her again and gave her a devilish smile that had her rolling her eyes and smiling gently again. The door closed behind him and a few seconds later the sound of the gate swinging shut with a slam followed his whistling tune. Shiori sunk to her knees and felt the tears pour down before she even reached the floor. 

She had wanted to tell Souzou, wanted to tell him that she didn't love Murasaki, that she still loved Kenji even though he had never wanted her. She was tired and fatigued from the recent week's nightly events that she could barely contain her emotions under that cool control she always had. She hated this feeling of helplessness, she was her own master and yet she could not even control her own body. 

Sobs racked her body harshly, threatening to break the willowy figure within the pale kimono. Her bones shuddered and her muscles ached, bruises that had formed from the previous day's scuffle left her feeling weak and breathless. She closed her eyes hoping against hope that she would wake up and find herself still a child without all these worries and troubles! She was too young to be this old! Why had fate dealt her such a bad hand? 

Warm blue violet eyes filtered behind her closed lids. Shiori snarled and smashed her fist onto the wooden table the bowls and cups clattering against each other. Her face softened and new tears came forth from the golden pools. Why couldn't she forget about him? It would be a year today since his disappearance and still she could not forget about him. His shallow promise of finding her if she waited, still scratched into her heart. Like a fool she waited… over four years she waited for him. Even when he didn't want her she waited, yet Kenji did not come. 

Her heart ached within her chest and she moaned out in frustration and pain. She promised herself that she would not shed any more tears for that man… the one who never loved her back. The raven-haired woman took in a shuddering breath and closed her eyes forcing the tears back. No, she would not cry anymore. Souzo was right Murasaki was a good man that would take care of her. He would never leave her and he would shout his love for her from the tallest of mountains. A tear escaped the tightly closed lids. No. She didn't want to remember her shock and horror at the calm statements. She didn't want to relive those tortured seconds. She didn't want to cry anymore. 

~*~*~

Kenshin was sitting on the terrace that over looked the garden of the Aoiya. Two weeks had passed since Enishi's arrival to Japan and still no information of the disappearance of their children had been found. The weary man sighed as he watched the sun slowly sink back into the earth casting its orange red beams onto the life below. A soft breeze blew the branches of green sakura trees, their blossoms long gone, taking with it the few leaves in preparation for winter. Kenshin bent his head down letting his long bangs cover his face, his short hair brushing his shoulders softly. Winter… how he hated it. 

"Himura-san?" A soft voice called to him bringing him back to the present. 

Kenshin smiled warmly and patted the area beside himself, knowing without looking whom it was that queried about him. "Come sit with me a while Shiori-chan." 

The raven-haired girl smiled slightly and took the proffered seat. She watched the older Himura carefully as the sun bathed him in its orange glow making the bright red locks look brighter. Kenshin turned to her gaze and smiled causing her to blush embarrassingly for being caught staring. 

"What brings you out here?" Kenshin asked taking note of her thinning face and pale complexion. Shiori had lost her vivacity and strength in the past few months, in a way they all had, yet she never failed to smile and look optimistic about it all, helping with chores whenever she could. Yet Kenshin saw through her façade, for he was a master of hiding his own sorrow. 

He could only imagine just how hard it was on the young woman who had been hoping to find her love only to have it snatched away from her unexpectedly. Kenshin understood to some degree the feeling of loss that she carried around her like a thick blanket. He too had lost a love once, twice really, even though it had been fake, and could reflect on the feelings she had. However, Kenshin had lost his loves in death not for an abduction, for that was what he was sure had happened. In death there was assurance that the loved one would never come back, in a disappearance there was the unknown and _that_ was more terrifying. 

"I-I wanted to see the sunset." The young wolf cub mumbled out. It was partially true. She had wanted to see the night descend over the beautiful flower garden and watch the last few fireflies dance among the darkness. However, she had also wanted to see how the red head was doing and quench a small thirst in just looking at him. It was a painful and pacifying reminder whenever she looked at the older man, seeing the resemblance to Kenji in his eyes and soft smile, but it also helped to ease the pain a little. The sick man had also been fairing a lot worse these past few weeks and she was afraid that she might loose him too. 

Kenshin nodded and turned back to the darkening garden. Silence settled in between them and neither wanted to break the calm peace. From the moment he really got a chance to know her at the festival years ago, Kenshin had fallen in love with Shiori. She was the daughter he never had and it amused him how she could be so much like her father at times and yet be everything that Saitou never was. She had wormed her way into his heart and Kenshin could not help but keep her there. The red head had expressed his excitement of Saitou's somewhat approval of Kenji and Shiori's marriage to Kaoru and she had laughed at him. Who could believe that the daughter of his worst enemy would be the one to carry a small piece of his heart? 

"Anou… Himura-san?" Shiori started a bit timidly, she didn't quite know how to breech the subject. Kenshin just raised a dark eyebrow and waited for her to continue patiently. Shiori finally looked at the pale face and the sad, dark violet eyes frowning slightly. "How are you feeling?" 

Kenshin blinked in bewilderment for a moment pushing down his urge to laugh at the serious expression that crossed the much too young face. "I feel fine Shiori-chan." Dark brown eyes fell into a flat line and Kenshin felt as though Saitou were staring at him disbelievingly. He chuckled and gave her a smile. "Really I do." 

Shiori blew out her bangs from her eyes only to have them flop back into place and gave him a grim frown. "Well if you say so. But I still think you're lying." 

Kenshin laughed out loud causing her to blush in embarrassment. It only caused Kenshin to laugh harder. 

"Mou!" Shiori pouted crossing her arms about her chest and looking towards the garden as the first flicker of light appeared. A smile tugged at her lips as the older Himura tried to quell his laughter. His laughter was like wind chimes in the summer afternoon, causing a smile to come to whom ever was listening. It was a rare but addictive sound making the listener drunk off the small taste longing to hear more and share in its joyfulness. 

"Thank you for worrying about me." He said once he calmed down placing a hand on the crown of her dark hair while looking at her tenderly. 

Shiori turned to look at the older man fully in the face and smiled. "You must take care of yourself Himura-san. Kenji would be so sad once he comes back and..." Shiori trailed off leaving the unspoken in the thick air. Kenshin nodded and drew her in kissing her forehead. Shiori smiled and gave him a quick hug. Kenshin had a special place in Shiori's heart too, what her father often times neglected and could not give her Kenshin did unabashedly. 

At the sound of footsteps they both broke apart to see who was coming their way. The shadows of the roof masked the tall man briefly until the silver beams of moonlight spun through his white hair. Enishi regarded the young woman beside his brother-in-law briefly in the same calculating curiosity he always had when he saw her. She was the unknown and there was something about her he didn't quite trust or particularly like. 

Shiori pulled her feet from the edge of the terrace and tucked them under her before bowing to the man towering over her small form. Enishi acknowledged the formal greeting with a quick nod of his head before looking over at the smiling red head. 

"Your wife wants to know if you're hungry." The baritone voice wafted through the crisp night air. Kenshin merely frowned slightly before shaking his head. Enishi sighed at the older man's stubbornness. 

"I shall bring you some tea then Himura-san." Shiori said with a tone that Enishi could not understand. It was as if she were scolding and reprimanding the older man in a mocking sort of way. Kenshin only chuckled and agreed some time between the laughter. Translucent brown eyes settled on his glowing teal eyes. "Would you like some as well Yukishiro-san?" 

Enishi nodded his consent while mentally wondering when he had given her his name. He shrugged it off heavily as his eyes landed on the violet-eyed man who sat smiling at the fireflies in the silver garden. The raven-haired woman rose quietly and walked past him gracefully into the building. 

Enishi watched her leave for a moment before facing his companion. Kenshin patted the spot that she had previously preoccupied with a silly grin on his face. Enishi rolled his eyes before sitting down next to the smiling man. A few minutes passed in silence as Enishi fidgeted slightly. Finally, since Kenshin wasn't offering any explanations, he asked. "Who is that girl?" 

Kenshin eyed him with a quizzical expression painted across his face. "Who? Shiori-chan?" 

"Yes. Why is she here? Is she some girl you rescued Himura?" Enishi asked trying to see if maybe she was involved with their children's disappearance. Kenshin just stared at the white haired man, his large violet eyes wide and surprised. "What?" The white haired man asked a bit ruffled. He didn't quite like to be kept in the dark and looked upon as an ignorant fool. 

"Didn't Kenji tell you, Enishi?" 

He raised a pale eyebrow. "Tell me what?" His harsh voice commanded an answer from the redhead who stared at him baffled. 

"She's the reason he's working so hard on becoming stronger." Kenshin frowned. "She's his fiancée." 

"What?!" Enishi cried out, his round spectacles moving down his nose. "He never once mentioned this!" The younger man expressed while pushing his glasses back into place with a slim finger. The entire time he had thought Kenji just wanted to best his father and that the young man was just too focused on that then to have any romantic interests. It explained why he never acknowledged Tomoyo or Kumiko's feelings, yet he never said anything to get them to stop. Why was that? 

"Not even once?" Kenshin inquired softly, his dark eyes lost with the soft green lights floating around the garden. 

Enishi shook his snowy white head. "Not once did he mention his engagement. As a matter of fact he seemed inclined to be otherwise."

Both men turned around swiftly as a loud crashing sound was heard. Standing in the doorway behind them was a very pale Shiori with large brown eyes shaking slightly. 

"I'm sorry." She whispered as she kneeled bowing her head to hide the tears that fell onto the fragments of clay at her feet. 

~*~*~ 

Shiori clutched her chest, her heart constricted so tightly. Why didn't he tell anyone? Did he fall in love with someone else? Her heart clenched tighter at the idea. When she had questioned Aoshi and Misao they too had that surprised look at knowing that she had been waiting for Kenji so that they could be married. He had never mentioned it to either of them as well. Was he so much a coward that he couldn't tell her? Tell all of them that he had found his true love and was off with her? No. Kenji would never do that to his parents. Was he dead then? Could he have failed to get stronger and died? She found it hard to breathe with that question. She would have rather he married someone else than to have him dead. 

Something clunked against the wooden floor as she covered her flushed face with her hands. Slowly she blinked back the tears that clouded her vision and fumbled around with her sleeve. She pulled out the comb he had given her so long ago. She didn't remember placing it on her person and now she regretted it. The comb was cracked in two and the porcelain flowers broken. Shiori's bottom lip trembled and she desperately tried to piece the object back together, but she could not. Once again tears stung at her eyes, blurring her vision so that she could barely see the comb that she frantically tried to fix. 

Shiori cursed at herself for being so stupid as to place the delicate comb within her sleeves. She then cursed herself at her own weakness to stop the tears. They just flowed from her eyes nonstop, dripping softly onto her hands where the comb pieces were collected. The tears blinded her and stung her eyes until she shut them and leaned forward against the table resting her head on top of the cool surface. The thin young woman hiccupped as she tried to breathe and release the squeezing hold on her chest. Her eyes screwed together tighter before relaxing as her exhausted mind gave way to darkness. She didn't even realize that she had fallen asleep crying. 

~*~*~ 

Aoshi waited until he heard the gate swing close softly before turning the corner towards the garden. Dark blue eyes watched the gate curiously, hoping that the petite woman that fled so quietly would come back. The tall man walked to the edge of the covered walkway, sitting down, his long legs touching the soft grass below it. Aoshi briefly wondered if Misao would come back. It was a strange thought that left him feeling empty and hollow. He knew that she was getting restless and that today was the worst of days of her endless depression. 

Aoshi sighed, his leg muscles twitching slightly in an urge to sprint after the younger woman and bring her back home, but he didn't move. His long, thin fingers curled into a tight fist as he drew his lips into a thin frown. He couldn't chase after her, not because he didn't want to, but because he was afraid. Afraid that if he encountered her and saw her dark eyes troubled, he would say something. He didn't want to say anything, didn't want to crush her world with the knowledge he was burdened with months ago. 

He wished he had never known then he could share the hope and faith that his wife so deeply had on their child. But he knew the truth and it was not the answer he had hoped for. Aoshi could still recall the feeling of utter despair as he read the note given to him by a very reliable contact. The words were simple and short. _They are dead._

Dead. At first the dark haired man didn't believe it—he couldn't actually. He had taught his daughter everything she knew. She was smart and inventive, death would not have been a possible choice. But there in his hand was the letter that proclaimed it all. They were dead. 

That night he had trudged home in silence, locking himself away in his study. He didn't want to face anyone and let them know just yet. There had to be falseness to the letter, he knew it and he was going to find the correct truth, for this just could not be true. Four skilled martial artists don't just die; it had to be a mistake. However, the more he investigated the more he wished he never knew. All the trails lead to the same place… a grave. 

Misao had cried and pleaded with him to speak to her, but he ignored her. He couldn't look into those eyes and tell her what he knew. Instead Aoshi told his wife that it was all right, that he would find their child and walked away. Her tears haunted him in his dreams but he just couldn't bare to tell her the truth. So Aoshi let her and the others live in the deception that their children were still out there somewhere and that they were going to find them. Soon Misao just stopped talking to him and sought comfort from Himura's white haired brother-in-law, Enishi. 

Aoshi bowed his head so that his long black bangs would cover his tear filled eyes. _'Misao…I'm sorry.'_ He had no right to chase after her. He drove her away in an attempt to spare her from pain but only caused more grief. He had not intended to do such a thing, but he did and now, he wished more than ever that he never knew the truth. And yet… and yet Aoshi knew that if he had not been the one to intercede that message, Misao would not be here with him, struggling to live another day. It was another grave he wouldn't be able to dig. 

So Aoshi waited on the terrace, unsure of what actions to take next. Whether to chase down his flying bird or let her leave towards the happiness only _he_ could give her. The tall man bent down and cried liquid tears of ice. 

~*~*~ 

Shiori dreamed the festival memory again, only it became more twisted and dark. She imagined Kenji insulting her and killing her with his own blade, while a black faced female laughed on encouraging her death. The dream caused her to cry once more, screaming for Kenji to stop. He just laughed cruelly and dug the sword deeper twisting it as he whispered three little words, _"I hate you." _ Her eyes fluttered open, terrified as someone's voice invaded her dreams and warm hands caressed her face drying the tears. 

"Jou-chan?" Souzo looked down worriedly at the little girl that blinked puffy red eyes at him. "What is it? What's wrong?" The taller boy sat down beside her, never letting his hands drop from the red flushed face. Shiori's bottom lip quivered slightly as he searched her face lovingly. Souzo pulled her in towards him embracing the thinner frame tightly. "Tell me Shiori… tell me what is it that hurts you so bad." The dark haired youth could pretty much figure out what was wrong, if what he overheard her mumble and if his memory served him correctly. 

_'Idiot! You shouldn't have left her alone! Moron!'_ It wasn't until he got to the clinic and surprised his mother that he realized what day it was. He ran as fast as he could back to their home praying that she was okay, that he wasn't too late. But upon his arrival Souzo found the girl having a fitful sleep at the table, her food untouched, with tears running down her pale cheeks. Souzo tightened his hold on her while inwardly cursing himself for being so stupid. He caressed her hair gently, whispering soft words of comfort and apologizing to her profusely. 

Shiori tried not to cry but being held by Souzo as if she was the most precious thing in the world caused her to collapse and let her tortured soul out. She cried out, her wailing muffled by the boy's shoulder, clinging to him as if he was her only lifeline. Each sob shook her body terribly that she was afraid her bones would break under the pressure she felt within her chest. 

Souzo ground his teeth together his heart reaching out towards her. "Just let it all out, Jou-chan. Just let it all out." He whispered into the crown of her dark hair. She just shuddered once and buried herself deeper into his embrace trying to disappear from the world and her existence. 

Shiori had stopped crying after a long while, yet how long it was, she wasn't sure. Souzo was still holding her tightly, her head resting lightly on his chest, listening to the soft beating of his heart. It was the first time that she was in such a position with him even though they were extremely affectionate with each other. It felt weird and surreal to her, yet oddly comforting somehow. This was a side she had never shown to him, never wanted to show anyone. She hated weaknesses, hated to be considered one. She had shown Souzo her weakness and yet… yet it was as if they had reached an unspoken understanding and that thought gave her peace. 

He couldn't stand watching her cry over someone else. He never personally met this Himura Kenji, and if he did it wouldn't be pretty. Souzo just couldn't understand why Kenji had not come for her yet, why he had not sent word. If it had been him he would've crossed the entire ocean just to deliver a letter, a hug, a kiss, anything. Yet the man that supposedly loved her so much didn't even have the decency to admit that he had found another, at least that is what Souzo assumed had happened. Kenji had found a new woman to love and had forgotten all about Shiori. 

Souzo loved her from the moment he found her perched on the steps of his mother's clinic in Aizu. It was rather funny since he didn't believe in love at first sight, yet with her it couldn't have been any other way. She was the charming snake that one could not help but be hypnotized by. 

~*~*~ 

_March 22, Meiji 26 (1896)_

Souzo strolled along the road that lead back to his mother's clinic. He had just helped Harada Risa deliver her second daughter into the world and was on his way back to give his mother the good news. The young man had happened to stop by the older woman's home as he made his medical deliveries and found the woman ready to give birth in her empty home. He smiled a roguish smirk as he imagined the look on his mom's face when he told her what he did. Souzo faintly wondered if he was the first eighteen-year-old to deliver a baby. A long, thin piece of grass hung limply from the corner of his mouth bobbing against his smile. His mother hated when he did that but he liked it, so he did it whenever he could, out of his mother's sight of course. 

It was a nice day outside. The sun was already on its descent back towards the earth, letting the midday heat slowly evaporate under the fresh spring breeze as dark clouds lined the horizon. Spring was finally taking full swing and rain showers were about as frequent as the stars. Souzo stopped at the gate before his home and took a deep inhale of the chill air before tossing away the grass stem. 

The dark haired teenager had just turned the corner when he saw her sitting on the terrace, her chubby face twisted into a bored look within her palm. The young girl was wearing a plain green kimono with a yellow obi tied into a hasty bow. Her legs were drawn up in the most unladylike fashion while the elbow supporting her chin was on her left knee. She wasn't paying attention to him and gave a small yelp of surprise as he sat down next to her. 

"Yo." Souzo smiled at the petite girl child while she just blinked large honey colored eyes back at him. "My name is Takani Souzo. What's your name?" Souzo had a very strange childhood in Aizu. He never really had children his age to play with. He would, however, help entertain the children that came into the clinic, yet they were few and far between and often times too old or too young for him to really relate to. When he got older, the children he attended became younger and so he developed a good handling of younger children. 

"How do you do?" Shiori asked quickly sitting back into a formal squat and bowing towards the surprised youth. "I am Fujita Shiori. It is a pleasure to meet you." 

Souzo rubbed his dark brown eyes with a large hand before blinking back towards her. "Hajimashite Fujita-san. Is there something I could help you with?" 

Shiori shook her head sending black locks of hair flying about her face. "Iie. I am merely here accompanying my father." 

Again Souzo was taken aback by the formal tone with which the small girl spoke. "Sou ka… Is he sick?" 

Once again she shook her head. "He merely wishes to speak with the doctor on a topic of utmost importance." 

"Anou… if you don't mind me asking… Just how old are you Fujita-san?" Souzo felt as if he might of misjudged her age. On the outside she appeared to be a small child of eleven or twelve summers, yet when she spoke it was that if a young woman was trapped within the tiny body. 

Shiori's brown eyes flatten slightly in annoyance. "Though I fail to understand what my age has to do with anything, I just turned twelve two days ago." 

Souzo fell over. "Twelve?! Are you sure?" He asked urgently not really believing his ears. 

Shiori flushed in anger and pouted her little pink lips. "Of course I'm serious! I am quite capable of knowing my own age, sir!" She huffed and turned her back towards the taller boy. And Souzo laughed. He laughed until she turned back around with a confused look on her cherub face. He laughed as she finally caved in and joined him in his laughter. He laughed as his mother and whom he assumed was the young girl's father, appeared to see what the noise was all about. He laughed so hard that his sides hurt and tears began to leak from the tightly closed eyes, as breathing became a labor. He had never laughed before until that day, not real laughter at least, and since then he would never stop. 

It had not been a really funny moment or even a hilarious act, yet the manner in which Shiori always carried herself and the way she spoke made anyone relax and enjoy her sweet nature. That was, of course, until he got to know her more and then it was no longer funny but painful to watch. He had learned about the wolf the small girl could be and the sheep's skin she often liked to prance around in. It was disarming, it was dangerous but it was her cry, her attempt at acceptance. 

~*~*~ 

The dark haired girl shifted slightly so that she could look up at the young man that held her dearly as one would hold a newborn babe. She searched his dark eyes for answers wondering what it could be that made him so approachable, yet she found nothing. Shiori pulled away from the embrace, her eyes fixed onto the dark spot on his kimono. She pouted cutely earning her a deep throaty chuckle from the man before her. 

"Feeling better?" He asked carefully watching her intensely behind his spectacles. 

Shiori nodded after a while and sniffed slightly while rubbing her swollen eyes. "Yes." She winced at the way her voice cracked. She tried to clear her throat but the burning sensation that ran against her vocal cords seemed to burn hotter. 

Souzo reached around her for the cold cup of tea and placed it against her pink lips. She frowned as she looked down at the cool murky darkness of the tea and Souzo laughed at her childish face. "Just drink it. It'll make your throat feel better." He pushed the cup further against her lips until they parted letting the liquid seep in. 

The tea was bitter and like ice against the worn muscles, yet she drank the substance anyways, making faces along the way earning a laugh each time from her companion. Shiori hated weaknesses, hated her own, hated to be one. She hated everything there was and could be associated with weakness. She had to be strong, for those around her, those that watched and waited with worry-filled eyes and shaking hands. She didn't want anyone to worry about her, so she placed her mask of painlessness on, letting it slip into place as easy as a glove. She would not be a weakness… would not bring sorrow to another. If they were happy, then she too was happy. That was the way it should be… that was _true_ justice. 

And now… now there was one whom had seen her with her mask down, had seen her real tears and had held her broken body…Souzo… dear, sweet Souzo. The raven haired woman smiled warmly at the older man as she placed her cup down on the low table. Shiori grabbed both of his large hands and raised them to her cheek. "Thank you Souzo. You are too dear and kind to me." 

Souzo blushed and sputtered, earning a giggle from the small girl. After several tries, the green haired youth snorted and patted the girl's head like a master would his dog. "Sometimes I just don't understand you at all." 

Shiori winked and stood up glancing at the western clock. "Good! That's exactly how I want it to be!" Souzo snorted again and Shiori laughed picking up her untouched dishes to carry them back to the kitchen. The young man would never understand how true her words were. 

~*~*~ 

_'Boring… boring…stupid… even more stupid…'_ The tall, young man sighed as he shifted through his coats and trousers. He was at a complete loss as to what to wear for the evening festivity that was a little more than an hour away. He ran a large, calloused hand through his short, cropped hair sighing once again as he sat himself on the large western bed. _'Maybe this wasn't as good an idea as I thought it to be.'_ The handsome man was about to give up and send a letter of apology when the door to his bedchamber swung open with a loud thud. 

In huffed a very beautiful woman with dark black hair pinned closely to her head and a long blue western gown that set off her dark eyes. Said eyes roved over the mess the occupant of the room had made before landing on the youth himself. "What are you doing? Why aren't you dressed? The carriage is already here!" 

The man winced and held his head over his knees as he spoke his next few words. "I've changed my mind. I don't want to go." He felt rather than saw the searing look from the pale skinned woman. There was a loud shuffling of silk and laces before the hems of the dress came into his view. 

"Oh no you don't! I did not travel half way across the world, get shoved into this constricting corset and uncomfortable shoes so that you could become a coward!" The young woman smacked her companion with a white-gloved hand. "Now put something on and let's go!" The skirt pulled out of the man's view in sweeping movements. 

"But I don't have anything to wear." The youth pouted as he glanced up at the finely dressed woman. She in turn let her bare, slim shoulders drop as she leveled him with a dubious look. Trunk loads of coats and shirts spilled everywhere, from the bed to the surrounding furniture. 

The woman sashayed over to the open armoire and pulled out a pair of dark gray trousers and coat placing them next to a lighter gray waistcoat that was resting near the man on the bed. She then hastened to the chair where a variety of colorful silk spilled towards the floor finding a violet cravat amidst the mess. Turning back to the young man she eyed the winged collar of his white shirt and began tying the violet silk around his neck. 

"There. I'll leave the rest to you." She moved away and he stuck out his hand catching her arm in his firm grip. 

"What if she isn't… I mean what… how much truth is there behind it? What if she still cares? Maybe…maybe I still have a chance." 

The dark haired girl shook her head sadly while gently pulling her arm away. "I… I checked it out this morning… it's true… Fujita Shiori is marrying Murasaki Naruto in two weeks. According to everyone I spoke with, they are madly in love with one another and have finalized everything for the wedding. They are just awaiting the date." Her already dark eyes became bluer than indigo shimmering with unsaid emotions. 

Himura Kenji bowed his head slightly before standing rigidly and grabbing the light gray waistcoat roughly. "We will see, Kumiko." The young redhead turned his back to the tall woman, golden eyes blazing beneath the long red bangs. "We will see."

---- ----

_A Note From Ro-Chan:_

VOTE FOR ME!! **Heart of a Wolf **was nominated for a different kind of award! My story is pitched against other stories and then the stories with the less votes get eliminated until only one story is left standing. It's like **Survivor**for FanFiction! Only problem is that I'm going against stories like **My Life** & **When The World Revolves Around You**, etc... so yeah... I'm going lose but it was nice to be nominated! ^-^

Here's the website: http:// www. geocities .com/ bikifriend/ (copy & paste & remove spaces)

_Arrigato Mina-san! I LOVE YOU ALL!!_

**Jason M. Lee-** Thank you for correcting my spelling... I'm such a goof... I _knew_ it was spelled wrong and I was _going_ to fix it but I forgot all about it. ^^;; Ah, while Japan may not have been a super power yet other countries were... and that can lead to some interesting power struggles... ^.~ I hope Aoshi redeemed himself in this chapter... He's not as dense as Kenshin but I don't think a lot of people can handle the Misao I perceive. ^-^ Me? Watch Frubua? Naaah.... ^.~ I wonder if you can guess where the anime reference from this chapter came from... heh heh. ^-^

**Tanuki-dono-**HUGS!! Yeah that was a pretty bad fight... don't know when we'll get to the conclusion of these fights... I'm still stuck getting through the same day! *sigh* I feel like I'm writing myself into a hole... hopefully I can get out of it. ^^;; Yay! Yeah I have this certain view of Misao that is completely different from how others perceive her... O_o... she's also my favorite female character from RouKen... so she got a whole chapter devoted to her... and now Shiori has one... last one should be Kenji... if my muse likes me enough we may get that chapter past two sentences... -_-....

**bee-** Thank you so much for reviewing! ^-^ I try my hardest on it I really do. ^-^

**Sabbie-** I'm trying to catch up with your story but no one will let me read!! When did I become so popular in my own home? LOL! Sorry to say as much of an Enishi/Misao fan I am I could never see her leaving Aoshi once she married him. I wish I would have known this before I matched her up with him! ^^;; Aww! I'm sorry you didn't get into Animation! *sigh* It's really competitive isn't it? Hee hee so you caught my Fruba reference eh? ^-^ I personally like Kyo-kun but my sister wanted me to put in Haru so I did. Ayame is a blast! I love that man! ^-^ I am currently stationed in Florida... I _was_ going to University of Central Florida for their animation program but with their incredible knack of not providing classes to those who really need them I quite there and went else where... now I'm getting a B.F.A in Drawing/Painting with a minor in Art History. ^-^ Some how I think I'll have a nice portfolio to present somewhere and do animation for life. That really is my dream. ^-^

**darktenshi-** Well as promised the new scene appeared unfortunately that threw me past my cutoff... so more explanation about Souzo later. I have a very twisted perception of Misao... I don't think she is as cheery as everyone believes she is... ^^;; But that's just me! ^^;; I'm used to the cannon pairings but there is this new Enishi/Misao trend that I can't help but deluge into... but don't worry I'm not going to make her an adulteress... that would go against every principle I hold dear. ^-^ Eer.. oops another cliffhanger like thingy! Will we ever go past this day?! Lol! ^-^

**Misato-** You've already been email your response.

**Radi-chan-** O_O You read them both in one sitting? Are you mad?! Just kidding! ::blush:: Thank you so much for your wonderful review! ^-^ Saitou is fun to write though he's a pain in the behind to keep in character! Yay! I'm happy my Shiori isn't annoying! I really do try my hardest on her because I know the misconceptions on Original Characters. She's just how I think his daughter would be if he had ever had one. ^-^ I'm sorry I made you cry ;_; That was never my intention. I don't like to make people sad. ;_; Once again thank you so much for your review! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. ^-^

**Kubo- **BIG MAJOR HUGS!! Thank you so very much for reviewing after she did! ^-^ I really do appreciate your concern and I completely agree with you! This is a fanfiction, not professional writing. I merely do this for the enjoyment of doing so and for my audience. I am not trying to win awards or an over whelming number of reviews. Besides I have seen other fanfictions fare better than mine with grammar mistakes even _I_ can pick up! As far as it being Historically inaccurate... it is but because I made it so... she also needs to check her history before talking about me. She was way off! But like I said it's because I choose it be and am making it work to how I want it bend. After all don't all movies do that? ^-^ Will I let her stop me from writing? No. So you don't have to worry especially after your encouraging review. I'm glad that both you and your girlfriend like, so thank you from the bottom of my heart. ^-^


	4. Ch 4

::crawls from the unknown depths of life:: I LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!!!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!! I beat you all thought I died didn't you? Well... I didn't. I can't even begin to explain everything that has happened that has kept me away from this story... that would take about 5 hrs. So let's skip me and go right to the good stuff ne? ^.~

* * *

**Sins of the Fathers **

Ch.4 

_August 3, Meiji 30 (1900)_

Kenji watched the small port city slowly disappear from view as the tiny ship sailed away from the Korean shoreline. He could barely contain his excitement at coming back home and into the waiting arms of a small, petite woman with hair darker than midnight and eyes that shone like finely spun gold. A smile tugged at his lips as he remembered how those honey colored eyes would flash in anger or soften in concern. _'Four years… I wonder how much she has changed, if at all. What will I say when I meet her? Will I be speechless? Or will I sputter around my tongue earning a laugh from her?'_

Kenji sighed as he imagined the one hundred and one scenarios that could possibly happen once he saw her again. He gave a slight prayer towards the heavens that her father wouldn't make too much of a fuss over Kenji's changes and let the two marry without trouble. However, somewhere inside him he knew it was not going to be that easy. 

The young red head frowned slightly. He was jittery and nervous his senses taut, searching the surrounding area for danger. Kenji could not explain the feeling of dread that suddenly bubbled up from his stomach, but he labeled it as nerves and nothing more. 

The past four years had been arduous on the youth, as he had to endure things that normal people didn't quite comprehend. Mastering four sword styles was neither an easy task nor quickly done, yet Kenji had managed to overcome each obstacle and learn the methods at a pace that left his teachers speechless. The youngest Himura had the ability to learn different techniques just by listening to them. This had helped him in many areas of his life… well almost, for as much as the young man watched his father he never learned _not_ to be so reclusive with information… or what to do about the fairer sex. 

"Kenji-sama!" 

"Kenji-kun!"

"O-oro?" Kenji blinked twice at the two females that stood before him, their pink lips pouting in irritation as their cheeks flushed red with anger. The wind caused by the moving ship moved the ruffled girls' black hair before their burning eyes and Kenji visibly swallowed. 

"Mou! Don't ignore us!" They both exclaimed loudly before glaring at each other and bickering again. Touma laughed at the two females as they called each other names like small children, while Kenji just watched them nervously. 

"How dare you not have the proper respect for Kenji-sama?!" Kumiko fumed, her fists clenching and unclenching rhythmically with her pounding heart. 

"Oh? You are just jealous of our close relationship!" Tomoyo laughed haughtily behind a tanned hand, her teal eyes shining brightly. 

"Relationship? _What_ relationship?! You are merely cousins!" Kumiko yelled waving her fists in the air. Her twin braids moved in rhythm to her swaying form as her lips curled into a snarl. 

Tomoyo's left brow twitched in annoyance yet she smiled, placing a hand on one of her shapely hips. "Yes, but that is more than _you_ shall ever be!" The dark haired, half-Chinese woman latched onto Kenji's arm tightly, causing the poor boy to wince in pain, her brightly colored bows bobbing in the air. 

"Oh, no you don't! Kenji-sama would never parade around with a girl like you!" Kumiko retorted, grabbing his other arm just as tightly. 

"Kenji-kun would much prefer a woman of high class and taste, like me, over some clumsy little girl!" Tomoyo pulled Kenji towards her, snuggling his arm when he was in her reach. 

Seeing this, Kumiko pulled the blushing redhead back towards her. "Oh you poor dear! I never knew you suffered from such insanity! Kenji-sama has much higher taste than _you_!" 

Tomoyo glared and pulled the young male towards her roughly, her full lips set into a thin line. Kumiko responded with the same maneuver, her dark blue eyes becoming like electric fire. Kenji gave another loud 'Oro' before the two young women used him in their tug of war. Touma was laughing so hard by now that he had to lean down and use the railing as support. 

Kenji tried desperately to pry himself from the two feuding women with little success. An image of Shiori turning her sad brown eyes filtered through his head and for the first time since he meet the two girls, he panicked. What would Shiori say if she saw him like this? Would it be a repeat of that day she saw him hold Chizuru at the Akabeko? Would she smile and pretend it didn't bother her? Or would she walk away from him again? Up until that point it had never occurred to Kenji to tell anyone about his promise to Shiori. 

"Kenji-kun and I shall have ten children! Ohohohoho!" Tomoyo laughed again, her teal eyes glittering. The two green bows on either side of her head bowed slightly as a gust of wind blew over the four on the main deck. 

Kumiko gave a small shriek of annoyance and pointed a perfectly slim finger towards the other girl. "Kenji-sama will never marry someone as old as you!" 

Tomoyo's smile faltered on her face before she launched into an attack, momentarily forgetting about Kenji. Kumiko also decided that it was best to settle their dispute with action rather than words. Kenji was just grateful that they stopped pulling on him, unfortunately he was still caught in the middle of their scuffle. 

"Maa, maa… Why don't we just calm down-" 

"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" The two girls cried, simultaneously sending an upper cut punch towards his jaw. He tried to move back but the two punches came straight towards him, hitting him on the underside of his jaw. The combined attack caused him to fly backwards a bit and collide with a big burly man who was leaning against the railing, his back to the group. 

"Orororo…" Kenji muttered out, eyes swirling on his pale face. 

"Hey, watch it you little brat!" The large man snarled, grabbing a fist full of the front of Kenji's blue Chinese shirt. Eep! 

"Go-gomen nasai… orororo…" The young redhead managed to spill out before dizziness once again overtook his senses. If he had ever thought that those two could never throw a grown man to the floor, he certainly believed it now. His jaw stung and he could swear that it felt slightly out of place. 

"Yeah, well, sorry ain't going to cut it, kid!" The large man raised his meaty hand in the air, fully intending to bring it down on the young man. Kenji's eyes narrowed in a snap as the fist flew down towards him. He could feel the dignified presence of Touma behind him, ready to step in if the youth needed him. The youngest Himura grabbed onto the fist that was holding him up, the elbow it was connected to, and shifted his feet, ready to over throw the man before the hit could connect. However… 

"That is enough, Shuu." It was a voice that would have made the wind stop and the mountains bow if they could. Yet only time seemed to stop at the rich voice. 

The fist that was intending to smash Kenji's face in, stopped in mid air at the commanding tone. And the auburn haired youth waited, his muscles coiled tightly in anticipation for the moment the fist continued on its path. He could not see the figure that had ordered the much larger man, but he could feel his presence and like his voice, it commanded attention. 

"But boss!" The beefy man cried out in annoyance. 

"I said that is enough. Put him down." Beady black eyes narrowed in anger but did as the voice said, stepping out of the way to reveal Kenji's savior. He looked to be a little older than himself and had a tall, lean frame covered in western clothing. However, the best assets the man had were his smooth black hair and eyes darker than indigo set in his pale face. Now Kenji was not one to go around admiring other males, but this man was handsome! He heard the two girls behind him gasp in appreciation. 

"Are you alright, sir?" The rich velvety voice snapped the red haired youth back to the present, blushing slightly in embarrassment. He had been staring at another man and now he was blushing! Kenji willed the ship to swallow him whole. 

"Er… yes, thank you." The young redhead coughed out, mortified. 

He smiled again, charmingly. "That is good to hear. I am Murasaki Naruto and these are my bodyguards." The dark haired gentleman waved to the three large men surrounding him, while giving the guard that attacked Kenji a glare. "They tend to jump to conclusions when it concerns my safety." Naruto once again faced the Kenji-gumi giving them a dazzling smile that had the girls swooning all over again. 

Touma was the first to speak to the handsome man. "It's quite understandable, sir." Touma smiled kindly at the group of nervously protective men. "With the rebellion in China, things are not as peaceful as they once were." 

The young man looked surprised at first but then nodded. "You are quite right, my friend. It is the reason that I am returning to my homeland." Naruto sighed, heavy heartedly leaning on the rail of the ship. "Things are just not as they once were. There are so many countries right now trying to prove that they have power. It is only a matter of time before more wars break out." 

Once again, Touma nodded his agreement. "That is what my father says. He fears that the Russians will be the first to make their move." 

Naruto looked over the young man with spiky chestnut brown hair. "They do seem to like to push the world around. But enough of this depressing talk." The older male waved his hand towards the two ladies that had gotten bored with the topic of conversation and resumed their impossible task of becoming a limb to a blushing Kenji. "Won't you join me in my cabin for lunch? A way for me to apologize for my guard's behavior." Kenji, a man much like his mother, opened his mouth to decline the offer, but the indigo-eyed man held up his hand. "That is merely out of politeness. However," Naruto gazed intently at Kenji, something clearly unreadable in the dark eyes. "My true intentions are rather selfish, I'm afraid." The young man smiled disarmingly. "It's a long trip back to Japan and a rather lonely one." 

Kenji didn't necessarily know how to take that comment. The nerves that had resided into the corners in the back of his mind renewed themselves with an unmatched vigor. There was something very suspicious about the way the older man phrased his sentence. However, the two girls never noticed the dark tone that lined the words, for they jumped up in approval, giving Naruto their maternal attention. 

Touma looked over his shoulder at Kenji's cautious face and felt very wary of the older man. _'I'll keep an eye out too.'_ The male twin forced his thought into his gaze and Kenji nodded, accepting his assurance. He then turned towards Naruto giving him a forced smile. "Thank you for your offer, Murasaki-san. We gladly accept." 

Naruto smiled in happiness and proceeded to lead them to the spacious cabin he was staying in. The floor was covered with rich red carpeting leading into a closed room where the bedroom lay. European paintings lined several of the walls as a large window with thin white lace curtains looked out into the wide horizon of the sea. A quaint round table resided in the center, covered abundantly with food and flowers. A Western tea set lay on a silver cart, steam flowing out of the mouth of the ceramic pot in the middle. All four were in slight awe of the beauty and riches of the room. 

"This looks like daddy's study doesn't it, Touma-kun?" Tomoyo whispered to her mirror-like brother. Touma merely nodded and followed Naruto to the table, where he began to pour tea into five cups. 

"Please, sit down." Naruto motioned to the table. "Pick what you like." 

Kenji was still on edge, his senses begging him to run out of the room, yet he willed his feet to take him in. The two of the four bodyguards had stayed outside of the room and even if something were to happen, the four martial artists would be able to defend themselves. So why was he so nervous? 

"-don't you think Kenji-sama?" Kumiko smiled, sipping delicately from the bone white teacup. 

Kenji blinked back into reality, noticing that there was a cup full of warm tea before him and that Kumiko had just asked him something that he was not quite sure about. Yet the young Himura knew that with either of the girls, it was not safe to simply answer a 'yes' or 'no' to anything they asked. Kenji took a quick sip of his tea, letting the warm liquid slide down his throat while his mind worked at finding a suitable subject to change into. It had a strange after taste and tickled his throat as it went down. Still the flavor was rather tangy and sweet. 

The red haired youth looked down at his cup and back at Naruto. "Where is this tea from, Murasaki-san?" He let his purple gaze settle onto the older man who smiled at him, his dark eyes glittering dangerously. Suddenly Kenji's breath hitched and his heart pounded in his chest. 

"It's from a very special flower found only in India. It's called the 'Sleeping Killer' because it renders the drinker helpless to others' attacks." There were two sounds of bodies meeting the floor and Kenji knew that the girls had been the first to meet the tea's fate. 

"You bastard." Touma managed to spit out before also falling prey to the flower's effects. 

Kenji wished he could jump up and attack the smiling young man, but his limbs felt lifeless and drained. His vision blurred and he knew he had said something, though it slurred as it left his lips before darkness overtook all other senses. 

Kenji awoke to darkness and he briefly wondered if it was because of the disappearance of the sun or of the surrounding area. From what he could tell, he was either still on the same ship, most likely the hull, for there were no windows in the small metal room, or another ship. Whatever light was being used, it was scarcely enough to fill the room and cast shadows on the dark walls. 

He felt his hands and feet were bound and noiselessly tested them. They were tight but not tight enough. The skills he learned from the Oniwabanshuu were going to help him soon. The room was damp and humid, clinging to his skin in a sheer blanket of water. The cold floor seeped into his skin causing him to shiver, his muscles attempting to create warmth in the act. There was a soft sound of movement and he tried to still his cold muscles but failed slightly. 

"Hn. Looks like he's awake." Kenji bit back a cry as one of the thugs grabbed a fistful of his long hair and pulled his head back roughly. "Come on, pretty boy. The boss wants to have a chat with you." 

The thug roughly dragged him by his hair and Kenji had to concentrate on something else other than the pain that radiated from his scalp. Soon another of the large guards helped to pull him up into a kneeling position before once again pulling his head back, causing the young man to cringe. Another took the chance to punch him in his stomach, making him cough loudly and double over, however the grip on his hair never loosened, making such an act impossible. Kenji took a sharp intake of air hoping to regain his breath before freeing himself and seriously kicking some a- 

"Good evening, Himura-san." Naruto smiled down cruelly at the young man at his feet. "Did you like the tea?" 

Kenji growled. "Not as much as I am going to enjoy breaking your neck." 

The taller man kicked him under his chin, causing him to bite hard on his tongue. Kenji gave a cry of anguish as blood seeped out of his mouth. Naruto sank down, sitting on his knees while clucking his tongue at the younger man. "Let us not forget who has who captive here." 

Naruto pulled out a sharp knife that glistened even in the darkness of the room. "Hold him." He commanded of the men. The grip on his hair was loosened as they clutched his head tightly between their thick hands. Kenji panicked slightly as his left cheek was displayed before the dark man. 

The dark eyed Naruto dragged the knife deep into the young man's perfect skin from his chin to under his eye. Kenji hissed in pain as he felt more blood quickly escape from the fresh wound, before the cold feel of the blade once again touched his warm skin. Once again the dagger was dragged across his cheek to his jaw line, intersecting with the first mark. Kenji knew what the mark was even though he didn't look into a mirror. It was a mark he had seen countless of times before... a mark that he had touched wondering about the secrets behind it… a mark that was a clue to finding an ancient killer… the cross shaped scar of Hitikori Battousai. 

"There." The man chuckled darkly. "It is only proper that you carry Battousai's scar. After all, you resemble him so much." His handsome face twisted into something vile and ugly. He nodded to the two guards that held him tightly and they released their hold on Kenji's face, but not before one of them landed a good blow on his new wound. 

"Why?" Kenji breathed out, trying to force back the tears and focus on his new enemy. 

Naruto smiled and straightened. Kenji shivered under the intense gaze of the indigo eyes. "Not too long ago, I met an interesting young lady on one of my visits to England." Blue violet eyes widened in horror as Kenji's heart froze. An image of the one girl he promised himself to passing through his mind's eye. 

"I had fallen in love with her at first sight, she was a breath of fresh air to my world. However, she told me that she could not reciprocate my feelings because she was promised to another. Yet, I just could not let her go to another…" 

Kenji was breathing heavily as Naruto told his story. Panic filled him as he waited for more, praying that Shiori was safe and away from the mad man. 

Naruto smiled, knowing what his captive was thinking. "Oh, she is safe and at home in Japan, most likely awaiting your arrival." The younger man visibly relaxed. "I do hate to see her cry. Nonetheless, I cannot have you coming back and marrying her. You, my friend, are on your way to America. Are you not excited? You will be taken very good care of. I hear there are many women _and men_ interested in young blood from the Far East." 

Kenji knew what those words meant and it sickened him. Sold away to a whorehouse was not on his to-do list. He _needed_ to get back to Shiori before this man could harm her, if she did not concur to his advances. _'I need a plan! Something! Anything! Shiori…'_

"I do hope there are no hard feelings between us, Himura." Naruto continued, watching as the young man bowed his head. "I just always get _who _and what I want." Naruto smirked, his dark eyes lightless in the dim glow of the room. Kenji's face twisted into snarl as fear clutched his heart tightly with icy, cold fingers. Naruto bent his face lower, grabbing hold of Kenji's square jaw. "And what I want is a beautiful, golden eyed Shiori." 

Naruto raised the pistol, pointing it at the spot between the young redhead's eyes. Death was encroaching upon him and though every instinct within him screamed to fight and live… Kenji knew he was outdone, he had lost too much blood and his limbs felt lax. If it were not for the two burly men holding him up, he would be sprawled out on the floor. He just simply could not fight back, anger filling him. 

"Any last words Himura?" Naruto asked him, a smug smile painted across his fair face. 

Kenji looked up at the man holding his life within his hands. All his anger, every frustration of that moment was focused directly into the heated gaze of the dark eyed man. Kenji didn't care about the blood that ran down his cheek, didn't care about the pain in his side or arms, everything was just anger… anger and hatred. 

Naruto unconsciously took a step back away from the furious young man with golden eyes like a wild animal. A shiver of fear slithered up his spine and locked his feet into place. He could not tear his eyes away from such spiteful eyes, for they filled him with fear…but also with fascination. 

"I won't let you have her." The words were confident. They were strong. But most of all, they were terrifying. 

Naruto snarled at his impudence and pulled the trigger… 

And then it all went black… 

_August 10, Meiji 31 (1901)_

Musabi Mariana was Russian by birth and Japanese only by marriage. Therefore, she was ostracized by the Japanese society, however well off her husband was. The pretty woman with striking emerald eyes and peppered brown hair had once found herself in a bind. Her carriage had been over taken by bandits threatening to do her harm and forcing her husband to pay a handsome sum for her return, though not safely. She had been frightened out of her wits, but before even one man was able to lay a finger on her, one very small woman had saved her. 

The plump woman remembered that night clearly… the full moon had shone on the silver pistol, the gleam only reflecting in the mad eyes of the stranger pointing it towards her. He remarked that if she did not comply quietly, the bullet would pierce her heart. As she nodded frighteningly, the moon disappeared behind the moving clouds above and a shadow whisked by, quickly snatching the gun from the brute. The fight that ensued was over in a matter of seconds and the shadow was the only one standing. 

Mariana had held her breath as the moon reappeared and bathed the petite figure as she turned around. Pale yellow eyes locked onto her dark ones as her savior's skin glowed white in the darkness. She asked if the Russian woman was okay, never moving from her post. Only one thought had crossed her mind at that moment. An angel had come to save her. 

Fujita Shiori had waltzed back into her life the next day, as her husband introduced his partner's fiancée. The older woman had smiled and commented on how delighted she was that Naruto had found such a woman to marry. Shiori had merely smiled, knowing that Mariana would never say a word on _who_ had saved her the night before. 

The little angel that had walked into her life that night now sat before her vanity as Mariana brushed the silken locks away from her pale face. This wedding party was a gift of thanks to the young woman, though it was outlined as something else entirely, but only she and Shiori needed to know that. 

Mrs. Musabi glanced into the mirror and noticed that the dark haired woman's shoulders were rigid in the beautiful red European dress. The older woman began her complicated hairstyle while she prodded for the sudden nervousness. "What's wrong, darling? You are so tense." 

Her thickly accented voice washed over Shiori and honey colored eyes gazed back at her through the mirror. "I'm afraid." She said simply. 

"Of embarrassing yourself?" 

Shiori mutely nodded. It was not a lie per se, however that was not what terrified the small woman. _'Can I forget you, Kenji?'_ Tears welled up again in her eyes and she blinked, making them disappear. _'Can I really love someone else other than you?'_

"Good." Shiori looked at the woman again, confusion evident in her eyes. The older woman laughed, her voice sounding like old church bells, lovingly worn. "Fear is an indication of good sense, my dear. It shows maturity, especially to admit it." Shiori had never though of it that way. Her father hated fear and cowardice. Mariana continued on breaking Shiori's thoughts. "However, you must not let fear control you, because once it does, it becomes cowardice. And you, darling, are anything but a coward." Mariana pinned the ornate braid to the back of her head with a golden comb and pulled away from the fascinated girl. "There, all done." 

Shiori rose and looked at herself fully in the mirror. Slightly reddened, honey colored eyes stared back at her pale face, while pink lips sighed. "Thank you, Musabi-san. It looks beautiful." 

Marina smiled and pulled the girl with her. "Come. It is time to show them what a beautiful girl you are and how lucky Naruto-kun is to have you." 

Before the petite woman was dragged away, she looked at herself once more. _'Kenji, I will forget you tonight. I'll replace that painful memory with this new one… and I will move on.' _

Upon her immediate arrival, the bride-to-be was swarmed with congratulations and suggestions on what to do and what _not_ to do. Some things that were suggested just made the girl blush scarlet while Naruto, who literally had to swim his way over to her, chuckled while he gave her a reassuring smile. More than anything, Shiori was nervous, not because of all the officials and high society that insisted to speak with her, it was that she was the center of all their attention. Under their scrutiny, the petite girl could not hide, something she very much disliked. 

Naruto had been watching her with hawk-like eyes, giving all who came to give their regards only cursory glances. Shiori felt his gaze on her and turned, giving him a happy smile. His insides melted at the act and he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

Naruto loved her with all that he was. She was his light in the overwhelming darkness that threatened to consume him. She was his anchor when he felt as though his sanity would just sail away. She was his everything and he would do _anything_ for her. 

His heart wrenched as the thought swam by. He had caused her pain beforehand when he had taken away the man she was promised to and would cause her more pain once more, as he took away the last man she cared for. However, it was a small price to pay for the Naruto would make it up to her. He would be the man she loved more than anything and he would make it up to Shiori for the rest of her life.

The older man unconsciously squeezed the small hand in his once more, causing the owner to look at him curiously. "Naruto?" She asked, worry evident in her beautiful eyes.

Naruto looked apologetically at the three women gathered before his promised bride. "I'm sorry ladies, but I must steal my fiancée away for a romantic moment." The older ladies giggled behind their fans and Shiori blushed. Naruto pulled her away, leading her straight to the balcony overlooking a European garden below. A full moon spilled its silver glow onto the closed flowers and trees. Spring was far away and the flowers would not bloom into their full glory until much later, still there was a beauty held within the sleeping garden that had the couple in soft awe.

"It's beautiful." Shiori whispered, almost afraid her voice alone would awaken the dormant garden. Naruto murmured his agreement, though he had long turned from the garden's splendor to watch something much more lovely. Shiori caught his dark gaze and blushed slightly before smiling and shaking her head. "Baka." She commented offhandedly.

The comment had the older man chuckling as he pulled the smaller girl into his embrace, burying his nose within the crown of her dark hair. She let him, though he felt her resist slightly. It was something small that suddenly made Naruto realize a very important detail. He smiled, letting her free to dance away from his grasp. Shiori swirled around to look at him directly, her eyes darting to the glass doors that barely kept them separated from the others waltzing away to the music. It was a constant game they played. She'd let him get away with as much as she wanted him to and there was nothing he could do about it.

It had been that way for a long time, more so after the disappearance of Himura Kenji. Before she would never let him flirt with her too long, always denying him anything more than friendship. After her acceptance to marriage the raven-haired girl let him hold her hand often, hug her occasionally, yet never let him kiss her. The one time he had attempted it, she had turned her face, "letting" his lips land on her cheek. For days afterwards, Shiori kept a safe distance from him, letting him know she did not appreciate his loving gesture. She knew why she did it. _He_ knew why she did it. 

"I am a fool." Naruto commented, watching her full lips turn down into a reprimanding frown. _'I'm a fool for thinking that you'd just forget about him. A fool for hurting someone like you but one day you'll understand. You'll understand why I did what I've done, what I'll do for you to love me and only me. You are mine Fujita Shiori. No one else can have you. No one.' _

Shiori hated it when he became self-inflicting. She knew of his hard life, the love he never knew, the loneliness that he endured for so long. It was what made her want to coddle him, what drew her towards those haunting blue eyes. There was something so painfully hidden there that it hurt to look at him directly. Hurt to watch his eyes turn black with self-loathing. Shiori only wished he'd tell her what he hated so much about himself so that she could help him. She wanted to help him. Wanted to…

Shiori's thoughts died in her head as the face before her changed into a young redhead with the same saddened eyes. The dark haired woman turned around exposing her silk covered back to the man she had befriended but yet to love. _'Damn you Kenji! You've stained me with your blood!'_ The familiar prickling of tears was shoved down roughly as she took a steady breath. "Please don't say such things, Naruto. Don't belittle yourself so much." She smiled over her shoulder at the handsome young man and he smiled back, his dark eyes lighting with something she didn't understand. "Come dear, I think it's time we returned from this 'romantic' interlude. People with gossip."

Naruto chuckled. "Let them. It is much more interesting to be here with you than with those silly ladies offering their 'advice'." Shiori pouted, a pink blush covering her fine cheeks. The older man laughed out loud at her childish expression, letting the weight fall off his shoulders with each sound. Tonight he would forget about the events to come. Tonight he would enjoy her smiles and bright eyes. Tonight he would make sure she was happy.

"Shiori, I'd like you to meet an old friend of mine." Naruto pulled on her arm gently, gaining her attention before directing it to a tall blond man around his age. "Derek von Schneider." Derek was… imposing. He was a good foot taller than Shiori and had golden spun hair that outlined his pale, square face. Cold blue eyes, framed by thick dark lashes, were set into finely chiseled face. Everything about the older man screamed stoic seriousness even from her height below Shiori felt belittled and under severe scrutiny.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you Miss Fujita." Derek gave a small bow from his waist, which Shiori returned stiffly. His voice was smooth as silk but brushed against her as sharply as a sword. It froze her heart and sent goosebumps down her spine. The petite woman could not understand her dislike of him however every sense was on alert and her nerves tingled dangerously. This was not a man to be trusted.

"The honor is mine, Mr. Schneider." The younger woman smoothly replied, not letting his unsettling presence be known. Derek's eyes narrowed ever so slightly but nevertheless turned to his friend. Naruto was either oblivious to the short interaction between the two or choose to ignore it as he continued on. 

"These are some of my business partners." Honey colored eyes flickered briefly on the faces of the men gathered. She recognized one as Musabi-san, Mariana's husband and Naruto's main business partner, while the others were a mix of foreigners she did not know. Naruto directed his gaze to a plump, elderly man in his late sixties with peppered brown hair and a thick, dark mustache against a pudgy, red face. "Mr. Nikolai Kruseher.

"Mr. Kruseher is in the railway business, my dear." Once again Shiori felt her face flush slightly at the endearment used in front of so many people. Naruto chuckled at her embarrassment, finding it rather pleasant. "He was helping with the Trans-Siberian railway."

Kruseher seemed to puff out his broad chest and huff in annoyance. And Shiori noticed, much to her own amusement that his mustache twitched when he spoke. "A pleasure, I'm sure." He did not bow nor give any other customary sign of greeting and the way his gruff voice greeted her made it seem as if he was bothered by her presence. Shiori, however, bowed in respect to the older man, murmuring out another modest greeting, desperately trying to ignore his rudeness.

Kruseher, Shiori would notice much later, was constantly in a sour mood and drunk. He was a Russian with much to say about the Japanese and their treatment against Russians. He had much to say about the Russians in general. Apparently he was very fond of his mother country and was quite adamant to share this with everyone. Mariana would also later comment that he was just a pompous old coot who had too much to drink that night and not enough sense for anything other than bragging about his 'Mother Russia.'

Naruto patted his companion's hand in apology and appraisal. She had handled herself so well under the beady gaze and harsh words. He barreled on before Mr. Kruseher could insult her any more. Quickly addressing the American in the group he brought the young woman's attention on the scrawny man with a kind face and mousy brown hair. "This is Mr. William Smith. He is the vice president of a segment of the Standard Oil Company."

Mr. Smith smiled warmly at Shiori. "We like to just call it 'Chevron'." (This is a joke… laugh people.)* 

There was something about this man, like the others, that struck Shiori. It was an odd, yet not foreboding, sense. It was as if the forty-year-old man knew something that she did not. However, Naruto did not stop speaking.

"He has quite a few of ranches as well. Don't you, Mr. Smith?"

The fairly tall man nodded in agreement as he faced Shiori. "I have a few cattle ranches and one horse ranch that is becoming greatly outdated." 

"My apologies, Mr. Smith." Her eyes narrowed just a fraction as she stared into his steel, gray eyes. "Though I do believe that it will continue to prosper in this new age." She gave him a bright smile that spoke of never ending hope. It caused him to frown slightly.

"Yes, I do believe so, Ms. Fujita." There was a small pause as if he was contemplating his next few words. "I've recently taken up a new partner, a bright young man named Ken Hudson." 

Musabi's dark colored eyes widened tremendously at the name. "You don't quite mean THE Ken Hudson?" Shiori looked up bewildered at Naruto, hoping for some explanation but was greatly surprised at his equally confused expression. 

Fortunately the thin Japanese continued on rather enthusiastically. "They say he defeated fifty bandits with just one bullet!" After briefly considering his sanity, all the heads in the small group turned to Mr. Smith.

The thin man smiled sheepishly. "Well he _is_ quite a talented youth. He also stopped some thieving bandits on our way here tonight." Shiori could almost see the sweat drop that slid down the side of the man's head.

Derek gave a soft 'hmm' that had everyone's attention. "Didn't he also suggest that your metal works company help in building the Trans-Siberian railway? And suggest that Standard go to Australia?"

"Preposterous! An American suggest such a thing?!" Mr. Kruseher didn't hear the collected group sigh, it didn't seem to bother the American businessman standing next the flustered Russian.

"Actually Mr. Hudson did. Which is why I asked if you'd like to build a car company down there, Mr. Schneider." Mr. Smith smiled some more at the statuesque German.

Naruto chuckled at his companions. "I see. So we owe Mr. Hudson a great deal of thanks for not only improving our businesses but also helping my Uncle with political peace."

Musabi blinked once. "What do you mean?"

Naruto gave him a watery smile that Shiori knew too well. More often than not Naruto's uncle would use his business as a mean to help in his political gains. This happened more when Naruto had inherited his parent's metal works factory at too early an age. Now that he was old enough to make his own decisions about his business, Naruto tried to stay away from political affairs as much as he could. Yet his uncle always found ways to use Naruto. Not even something as sacred as his nephew's marriage was out of his political reach.

"Ah nothing. Do not worry about it Musabi-san." Naruto patted Shiori's hand again as she squeezed his arm in soft comfort before turning back to the vice president. "Now tell us truthfully, Mr. Smith. I doubt all those tales are true. How can one man stop fifty bandits with just a single bullet?"

"Ah well. I'd much rather prefer if _he_ were to tell you the story Mr. Murasaki." Smith smiled benignly. "I do hope you don't mind. I invited him to accompany me on this trip."

"How wonderful." Shiori smiled unsure of the sudden queasy feeling that filled the pit of her stomach. "I would very much like to meet him and invite him to our wedding. Don't you agree, Naruto?" She looked up demurely a small smile tugging at her soft lips.

Naruto nodded smiling. "Aa. He can then regale us with his tales of adventure." The men laughed as Smith nodded.

"Well then," The attention was turned back to the wiry man. "I shall go fetch the young lad and bring him here." The man bowed slightly and departed to another part of the large ballroom in search for the mysterious Ken Hudson. The group continued their conversation as Mariana and her friend, Elena Kruseher, joined the group. Shiori spoke with the women, slightly surprised that anyone had married the uncouth Russian. But even as the conversations dwindled to gossip and politics, Shiori could feel the cool gaze of the German businessman. She did not know why Derek found it much more interesting to glare at her backside, or face whichever she was facing at the time, but it did not help to ease the sense of apprehension that increased every second.

"I hear the Chinese Rebellion has died down a bit." Naruto asked, looking directly at Kruseher. The Russian didn't meet his gaze instead he was focused on the newest member of the small group, a British politician by the name of Arthur Phillips, good friend to British Prime minister Lord Salisbury. 

"Ah, but I'm quite sure those crafty Chinks are just waiting for a perfect moment to strike." The British man nodded, ignoring the Russian completely. Naruto was very tempted to roll his eyes at the childishness in the two grown men. Parties like these were very much common in such times as these. Usually the main groups that were currently arguing, threatening, or warring stayed away from each other, spreading rumors and gossip to the other party attendants or becoming like a wall of pleasantries towards each other, after which they would continue the hate and resentment.

"Quite true. Though I doubt the Americans will let them." Musabi added in.

"I agree. They showed how serious they were by sending in so many troops." Derek tried to interject, sensing his friend's distress on the delicate relationships currently gathered in.

"Humph! Those Americans don't quite give a damn about anyone but themselves!" Kruseher struck again and this time the British politician couldn't have agreed more.

Naruto gave a small moan. "At least the French are not here." He muttered softly, earning a giggle from his young bride. He smiled then, the tension of the evening leaving at her tinkling voice. Derek frowned, letting his gaze land once again on the young woman who seemed to be partially listening to both conversations.

"Oh come now. Surely we are not all _that_ bad." Smith had returned and the group shuffled ever so slightly to see his most awaited companion. "Am I correct, Mr. Hudson?"

"Of course my friend."

Shiori's heart stopped just as the conversation with the two Russian women came to an abrupt end. She knew that voice. It haunted her frequently in her dreams. She dared not breath as she turned around to face what she feared. To Shiori the world came to a halt. It dimmed away until there was nothing but darkness. Sounds abruptly disappeared, leaving her in the despairing void alone. Her heart stopped beating and breathing became non-existent within the eternal silence. She then blinked. The world spun around her again faster, brighter, and louder than before, as if making up for the lost time. Her heart hammered in her chest, threatening to burst free from its confines as her lungs struggled to inhale the solid-like air. Unseen pressures seemed to be determined to crush her very soul. And she blinked again.

The world stilled once more, regaining its previous speed and noise, leaving the small girl in shock, numb to her surroundings but mostly to herself. Her throat dried and her knees refused to hold up her sudden weight so she leaned more on Naruto praying that this was all some very bad dream.

"Mr. Ken Hudson, I presume?" Naruto said softly, not at all at ease with the smiling young redhead before him. He felt Shiori's nails sink deeper into his arms and the slight sway she had, before turning to face the glittering amber eyes of her former lover.

Kenji felt the small hairs on his neck stand on end as Shiori casually leaned further onto her fiancé. His blood boiled in anger and he ached to just twist her arm until she cried for mercy. But not before he disposed of the fool that wished to take her from him. Shiori was _his_, would always be his until the day she drew her last breath.

"I am." He replied just as stiffly and a bit more coolly. A soft tug on his arm reminded him that not only was he not alone but that he should remain calm in this situation. Slowly he turned his finely defined face to his female companion, swathed in the bluest of blues. "This is Aoi." Kenji paused letting his golden eyes flicker towards a pair of dull brown ones. "My wife."

---- tsudzuku ----

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*Standard Oil Company was, I think, either owned by Rockefeller or bought by him. After the law of monopolizing took effect the oil company was divided into smaller ones one of which was called Chevron. Hence the stupid joke. ^^;;

_Arrigato Gozaimasu!_

**JadeGoddess-** So far Saitou is not dead and neither is Kenshin. ^-^ Sorry if I get really confusing since I jump from one year to the next in almost every chapter! Usually look at the heading dates they are the indicators to let you know which year I am talking about. Gomen for being so confusing! Thank you so much for reviewing!

**darktenshi-** Hee hee! I love Souzo too. I feel so bad for him too... He's so much like a big brother to Shiori that she can't reciprocate his feelings... that she wants to anyway... Er... Well judging by the ending I don't think them meeting is a very good thing at this point. Kenji just doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut! Thank you for reviewing!

**Sabbie-** LOL! Well hopefully that explained a little about his year off and er... missing! LOL! ^-^

**Leila Winters-** HUGS!! ^-^ Sorry about all the trouble... and the long wait! ^^;;

**Andrea-** Hee hee... Thanks for reviewing!

**Tanuki-dono-** HUGS!!! UPDATE CDRS!!! ::shakes fist:: We're both so slow... wahh! ;_; but it's all worth it in the end... well your story is worth waiting around for! ^-^

**naixil-** Aww!! Thank you for reading my RK stories! I'm glad you liked **Heart** as well! Eh heh... Kenji and Shiori's encounter is, as you can see, less than speticaular... ^^;; But will they work out? Ah... that is the mystery, ne? Thank you for reviewing!! ^-^

**purplechan7-** I'm so happy you like my story! ^-^ I'm going as fast as I can that I am! ^^;; Unfortunately this last muse just about killed me! HOWEVER! I will continue writing and pick up my snail pace that I seem to be going at right now. Enjoy this chapter and as for the rest of your questions.... you'll just have to wait and see, ne? ^.~

**Firuze Khanume-** BIG HUGE HUG!! Thank you so much for commenting and telling me not to give up! I don't think Saitou ever had a daughter. It was more of an idea that popped into my head one day while watching Kenshin and him argue/fight. But you're right maybe I should just make a note but I really don't think that should have to especially since this is taking over after the manga ended. If there are some historical inaccuracies it is because I can't avoid them. There is a RK-esque plot here that I'm trying to make interesting and sometimes history just has to bend a little ne? Anyway, I'm over that review. I just want to make a fun story that has love, action, and the Kenshin-gumi in it! lol! Besides this is Fan FICTION I should be able to write whatever I want ne? *sigh* People... ANYWAY! I'm glad you still like this story! And I _will_ be going into Enishi's past and why he has kids, etc... I hope it will pass you're approval! ^^;; Thank you again for reviewing!

**Ladymercury1- **O_O In one sitting?!? ::amazed blush:: Su-sugoi!! HUGS!! I'm so glad you like my stories! You don't know how happy that makes me! Thank you so much for reviewing and letting me know! ^-^

**meant2Bmatched-** Ah! I'm sorry that I took so long but Kenji and Shiori are being so difficult with me! ;_; Thank you so much for reviewing!

**Ruki Lee/Rika Wong-** Ah!! No, no Mary Sues! I'm trying to keep the people that like her to a bare minimum and only for character development reasons or to push the story further. As far as her looks go... I'm just trying to push for the fact that Saitou's wife was very beautiful which is a joke in of its self. ^^;; My humor is rather odd... But thank you for reminding me!! ^^;; The last thing I want is for her to turn into a Mary Sue! I actually _like_ this OC! So I'll keep my eye out and make sure that only those three that are in love with her! ^-^ Thanks for reviewing! ^-^ 

**Little swordfighter-** YAY!! Welcome back! ::returns hug just as tightly:: Thanks for reviewing the end of **Heart** too! ^-^ Yeah Kenshin is still alive. ::blush:: 

**Bio-Nic- **Yeah, this story is far from what **Heart** was. What do you mean by "Your rather abrupt with the details in the story, it could use a little more detail..." Do you mean as in the characters? Or the backgrounds? Or the stage setting? Emotional details? Nani? Nani? I would really like to know so I can improve! ::pumps fist in the air:: Thank you so much for pointing that out though! I'll make sure to keep my eyes open for areas that lack better description of what happened and what not! ^-^

**QueenKagom-** ::blush:: More than My Life? ::faints:: Nervous breakdown? Oh brother you don't know the half of it! LOL! Thank you so much for reviewing! I'm glad you like my story that much! ^-^

**jbramx2-** HUGS!! You draw so beautifully!!! I saw your work at DeviantArt but I never commented! ;_; I'll do that soon!! LOL!! Shiori attracts older men because of her personality... she's so serious! Yes! The ending to all the events is coming soon! Now that this chapter is finished it is just going to start going backwards! And yes they are all on the same day/evening which is really confusing but I couldn't think of writing it any other way! Thanks for reviewing twice! I can't wait to see more of your artwork!! \ ^0^ / Yatta!


	5. Ch 5

_AN:_ Well... this chapter came out longer than I thought. O___O And Ch.6 looks like it's going to take a while too since I have to start over. Stupid me accidentally deleted it when all it needed was another scene to be finished. __ 

* * *

Sins of the Fathers 

**Ch.5**

_August 10, Meiji 31 (1901)_

"This is Aoi…My wife."

Kumiko tried her very best to smile and not whip her head around while letting her jaw slack open and her blue eyes widen in surprise. He was to introduce her as his cousin, his sister, anything that was separate from him yet not. Nevertheless, he changed the plan without telling anyone and for what reason she honestly couldn't tell. '_What is he doing? Himura Kenji you better have a good reason…'_ However, a small part of her cheered in loving excitement that Kenji had called her his wife especially in front of _her_. 

Kumiko eyed Shiori conspicuously as she bowed and greeted the other guests. Shiori was rather thin and small, probably only reaching her shoulders if standing side by side. Her skin was pale and she had obsidian colored locks pulled from her sharp face in braids and curls while full pink lips turned upwards into a soft smile. Thick, dark lashes framed her large, honey colored eyes and lit from the bottom the taller woman turned her attention to her rival. Kumiko could admit that she had a pretty face, yet her figure was fuller on the bottom than the top. '_This is really her? This is whom Kenji-sama ignores me for? Baka.'_ Kumiko remembered briefly the moment she had learned about the petite woman and Kenji's rejection of her feelings. The words he so cruelly spat out at her.

_ "There is someone else I love, Kumiko—someone more beautiful than you." _

Kumiko tried not to glare but she couldn't really help it. The female ninja had imagined someone much more… impressive and was disappointed at this 'beauty' Kenji cared for. The dark haired woman then fixed her gaze on the one man that she hated, Murasaki Naruto. 

It was all done out of spite—all her pain, despair, torture, all because of one small, little girl. Kumiko's hard blue gaze drifted back towards Shiori who meet her gaze briefly before turning away. _ 'What is so special about her?' _She practically hissed to herself. Kumiko made herself a promise then. She would find out about this small woman and crush her existence from Kenji's mind. 

Shiori tried to remember to breathe, but it was very difficult to when one's heart stopped beating.

_ "My wife."_

The words kept churning in her head entangling themselves within her nerves and veins. They immobilized her, stabbed at her heart, and grasped her thin neck firmly, ready to break it. _'Why? Why is this happening?'_ Dark blue eyes gazed into her own and Shiori could only look into them briefly. She turned her saddened gaze towards Naruto in hopes that it would be mistaken for a loving glance. But Shiori could not keep from glimpsing the beautiful woman from the corner of her eyes.

Aoi was tall and slender compared to Shiori. The dark blue dress stretched over full breasts and shapely hips all the while bringing out the twin pools framed by thick, dark lashes. Long dark hair was swept up and away from the heart-shaped face as twin red lips smiled serenely against her creamy complexion. Shiori could not compare. Aoi was truly a stunning young woman to behold.

Tears pricked at her honey colored eyes and she batted them away. _'NO! No tears! Not for him! Not for HIM!'_ Shiori tried to muster the courage to stand tall against all that Kenji had thrown at her. She refused to let him be her downfall. _'I am in charge of my own destiny… I will not cower to YOU!' _

Kenji had been coaxed into telling one of his stories and Shiori tried to listen. She tried to not let the closeness of the two bodies before her remind her of all her short-comings. She tried. She really tried.

"Fujita-san?" Derek's voice broke through her negating thoughts. For once she was grateful for the cold tones he spoke in. They felt refreshing within her darkening vision. "Are you feeling well? You seem a little pale."

Any thoughts of ever being nice to the blond German quickly left her mind to be replaced with dark thoughts. '_Just make it more obvious you dimwit!'_ A part of her relaxed as Shiori realized that she still had not lost herself within the agony of betrayal. All her tormenting thoughts focused solely on him and her eyes flashed gold before she smiled at him kindly. "I do feel a little faint." Kenji's eyes landed on her and she gave him a small smirk hidden beneath a kind smile. "I suppose your stories are too exciting for me, Mr. Hudson."

Kumiko gave the petite woman a smile than bordered on feral. "I see. Such stories are too strong for such a fragile heart." Shiori inwardly bristled at the mocking words. 

Naruto did not like the tone of voice the young woman took while speaking the words and glared at her slightly before speaking in Shiori's defense. "Ah yes, my dear, a lady such as yourself should not listen to these stories. Your heart is much too kind and gentle for such things." Kenji snorted softly at the words. Derek merely raised a thin, blond brow as everyone else tried to ignore the veiled insults. 

Shiori took a deep breath and gazed at Naruto, softly applying pressure on his arm to get his attention. "Anata," Kenji growled lowly enough for her to hear. "Anata, would you please take me outside for some fresh air? All this excitement is leaving me faint."

Shiori never missed a chance to go to the theatre in Japan nor in her stay in Europe. There was something about the actors that she could relate to. How they always played the parts that were needed though in truth they were someone completely different.

"Of course, darling." Naruto turned to his guests, nodding to them slightly. "If you'll excuse us…" Shiori was quite grateful and was so relieved that she did not notice the same look of relief pass through her fiancé's handsome face.

"Ah, Mr. Murasaki! Just the man I was looking for!" Naruto turned his head slowly, biting back curses. On his left stood a skinny, little man with balding grey hair and bright blue eyes. Next to the British man stood another foreigner with darkly tanned skin and thin, black eyes. "Do you have a moment? I'd like to introduce you to Mr. Talbot, our foreign ambassador from the Australian Republic."

"How do you do Murasaki-san?" The older man said in near perfect Japanese.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Talbot-san. However, I am—"

"Murasaki-san, if you don't mind I'll escort Fujita-san outside." Kenji strode over to the small group extending his arm out towards Shiori. The small girl, in turn, looked at the out stretched arm as one would look at a poisonous snake.

Naruto's jaw clenched tightly, the muscles in his jaw jumping. "Thank you for your offer, Mr. Hudson. Though I'm sure your wife would feel a little awkward by herself." Naruto's dark eyes dared Kenji to make a move against such a blatant remark.

Kenji just smiled casually and turned towards the blue eyed woman. "Aoi, darling, do you mind if I escorted Ms. Fujita?" His amber colored eyes were focused on her intently.

Internally, Kumiko did mind.However, that was not what the true objective of this whole farce, so she smiled and shook her head softly. "Not at all, anata." She drawled the last part watching as the petite woman's eyes narrowed slightly.

Kenji merely raised a thin brow before turning back towards Naruto. "Well then, now that that's settled. Shall we Fujita-san?" Again he extended his arm and Shiori gazed at it with the most curious expression on her fair face.

_ 'Do not take it, Shiori.'_ Naruto chanted as he gazed down into her light brown eyes. Shiori gave him an apologetic look before accepting the proffered arm. The two walked towards the outside gardens, leaving an immensely agitated Naruto.

Nothing was said between the two as they walked towards the gardens. Shiori was trying very hard to ignore the warmth of his body next to hers. She tried to ignore just how right it felt to be there beside him, the feeling of his strong arm underneath the soft fabrics, the tears that collected at the corners of her eyes, the sharp pain in her chest, the raw, choking feeling in her throat. Shiori tried to ignore it all.

She didn't understand how her heart could feel so raw and yet numbness had spread through her. It was as if she was twelve all over again and she had to play the game of masks and emotions… never showing how she truly felt inside. A part of her wanted to cry out and show Kenji her pain and suffering, however her pride would not let her break down in front of the redhead.

This charade, the raven haired woman had nearly perfected. It was what had kept her sane when her father ignored her while she was young and now here… when her heart was broken. It seemed her fate was to always carry the two faces of her soul, the wolf and the lamb. Yet, the question was which would win… the darker, malicious side of her that believed in truth and justice… or the lamb that saw harmony and kindness. Shiori herself did not know yet and could only watch as her soul battled within itself trying to comply with the situation at hand.

Kenji gazed down at her as they exited the main ballroom. The young Himura studied her face as he escorted her down to the fountain in the center of the garden. There was such a serious expression carved on her pretty face. Yet he could still see the dark circles under her eyes, the glint of exhaustion within the brown pools. Moonlight stroked her pale cheeks and his heart fluttered slightly as she gazed up at him with those same sad brown eyes of long ago. Kenji wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and hold her.

"Shiori," He whispered huskily, causing a small blush to form on her cheeks. 

"Leave me alone." Shiori hissed angrily, looking away from him and his piercing gaze. Her heart threatened to leave her chest as her stomach flopped around nervously. She cursed at her body's reactions mentally and then proceeded to curse Kenji for making her feel this way.

"Don't be like this." Kenji touched her chin and Shiori jerked away from his electrifying touch. "I just wish to talk to you." He whispered again, his words laced with the softest of concerns.

Shiori huffed, lifting her pointed nose to the night sky. "There is nothing that you can say that I would wish to hear." Again a poisonous acid wrapped around her words, causing Kenji to flinch.

The youngest Himura studied the petite woman briefly, gauging his words. "I just wanted to warn you." Twin pools of gold stared at him before subtly changing to warm browns.

"Warn me? Warn me against what?" Her dark brows knitted together and her full lips turned downwards. Kenji watched all this with interest, memorizing each wrinkle and crease of her pale face.

"Naruto. He is…" Kenji paused looking for a word that would keep Shiori away from the man but not put her in jeopardy. "Dangerous."

Shiori's eyes changed drastically from the dark browns to light gold. The tall redhead found it mesmerizing as he watched them flicker to life with an internal fire. Her lips formed a tight line of displeasure while her jaw clenched tightly, causing the muscles to flutter slightly.

"That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard, Himura Kenji." Her tone was low but hard and her back stiffly straight. Inwardly Shiori could not believe that this was even happening. First he appears after a year's absence with a wife and now he warns that her husband-to-be was dangerous? _'What are you up to?'_

"Do you love him so much that you are blind to him and his ways?" Kenji growled out softly his chest constricting at the thought of her caring so greatly for that beast of a man. The older man searched her eyes for any emotion but found that they were carefully guarded suddenly.

"No!" Shiori spat out, infuriated with the redhead to clearly think of a better answer. 

"What?" Hope fluttered within his chest and Kenji suddenly felt light headed. His knees wobbled slightly but he took a step closer to her. It felt as if everything had come down to this one moment and all he wanted to hear was for Shiori to say three, small words that would acclaim to his ownership of her heart.

Meanwhile, Shiori cursed her own stupidity and took a deep shuddering breath while she pouted in annoyance. "I meant I am not blind to him." The harsh tone vanished as if it was a ghost and a new, more serious tone replaced it.

"I know that Naruto has a rather bad temper but he is a good man with a good heart." Shiori just could not believe that same man she knew could be dangerous… besides she had checked his background, as well as her father, and there was nothing serious that he had done to alarm her.

"Everyone has their faults and Naruto is no less… yet that does not make him a dangerous man." Sad, dark eyes swam before her vision and her heart ached. He was merely someone living in another's shadow... very much like Kenji often did. Naruto was misunderstood and alone… so much like Kenji was. Shiori could never escape the redhead's presence, it seemed. _'Oh Kenji… why couldn't it have been you I would marry?'_

Kenji's anger flared at her words but his heart stopped at her expression. There was a soft sadness filled with love painted across her face. It was the expression of someone who cared and adored another so very much. Kenji could feel the prickling sensation within the corner of his eyes but he banished them with a blink. The cross scarred redhead roughly grabbed her arm in anger, drawing her closer to him.

"Let me go!" Shiori cried out. Panic swept through her at his sudden change in attitude. She could see how angry he was within his golden eyes. It caused her breath to hitch and her voice to fail. She was brought back to her senses when Kenji tightened his grip on her arm, causing her to wince. "You're hurting me!"

"Do you love him?" He forced out through gritted teeth. He was afraid of the answer but he _ needed_ to know; to know straight from her and no one else. "Do you love him?" He repeated, his breath sweeping past her ear.

"I don't have to answer you." Shiori glared, trying to push herself away from the hold he had her in. His breath sent goose bumps down her skin and made her want to kiss him. No, she had to push those thoughts away. She had to get away from _him_.

"It's a simple question. Surely you can answer that. Do you love him?" Kenji would not relax his grip on her forearm nor would he let her escape the confines of his arms. He wanted so much to smother her in his embrace till she became a part of him.

"Are you mocking me?" The smoldering gaze he sent her made her forget to struggle.

"I'm serious, Shiori. I want to know. Do you or do you not love him?"

"Why should it matter to you? Need I remind you that you are a married man, _Mr. _Hudson and that my affairs are my own." With that she pulled herself free with a mighty shove, placing a great distance between herself and the object of her body's desire. 

"Shiori…" Kenji growled out, frustrated at the honey eyed woman. She had not answered his questions, which only lead to more confusion on his part. If Shiori had loved the man she was to marry she would have said so immediately… wouldn't she?

Shiori sniffed, lifting her chin up, exposing her long white neck, her golden eyes blazing with fury. "If you must know, Naruto is worth every single drop of my love." _'Yet I cannot give it to him… I can never give it to him. Because of you… because _you_ still run through my veins and breathe into my soul. Damn you Kenji. How dare you invade me so!'_

Her words angered him. They made his skin crawl with hate and fury. He wanted nothing but to shake her till her breath hitched, till she took back those words. Surely he could do that… however, he could never take that look out of her eyes. Pain, anger, hate… it was all there, directed straight towards him. It was so much that it hurt to look into her eyes.

Kenji bowed his turned head. How badly he wanted to tell her that she was in danger. That he still loved her. But he couldn't bring the words to his lips. How could he tell her when she hated him so?

"If that is all, Mr. Hudson, I shall be taking my leave now." Shiori swiftly turned around, her skirt making a soft swishing sound as she trotted away from him. The small girl stopped her hands shaking slightly. "Congratulations on your marriage." Kenji's head snapped up, his golden eyes leveled on her back. "I hope it is a happy one." With that Shiori disappeared into the ballroom in search of her fiancé, leaving Kenji alone in the silent garden.

Misao briefly wondered if who ever was following her was ever going to attack her. Maybe they had just been told to follow her until a certain time or point. But a question still remained… why? What would they have to gain in just following her around? What were they looking for? Her mind spun with all the questions and the anxious nerves that threatened to consume her whole.

She turned down another alleyway before stepping out into the city street. She looked around at her surroundings, wondering where she was within the city. There were fewer people here mingling and talking with each other. Restaurants lined the stone cobbled street with other various shops and stands, most of them where new. Japan's rush to modernize and become assimilated by the Western businesses ruined old beauties and created even more distractions. Further down the road the tiled roof of a temple rose above the smaller buildings that littered the landscape. It was then that she had realized that she had unconsciously taken the route that lead to Aoshi's favorite temple. The small breath she had been holding came out in a relieved rush.

The small, married ninja never wanted to see Aoshi appear suddenly than she did at that moment. A cold chill filled her heart. What if who they were looking for was Aoshi and they knew to get him through her? Misao's green eyes widened at the thought, as her heart began to beat faster.

"Aoshi…" Her whisper was carried away in the wind as she hesitantly took a step forward. Her heartbeat quickened with every step she took, making her feel light-head and dizzy. _'What if they _are_ after Aoshi? What will you do Misao?'_

"Mommy! Mommy!" The small voice of a child distracted her thoughts briefly as she watched a small girl tug on the kimono sleeves of her mother. "What's that?" She pointed to a doll that was dressed in dark cloth completely leaving only a gap where two black eyes peeked through. A silver forehead protector expanding over the girth of the forehead with the symbol of Japan's rising sun imprinted on the metal.

The aging woman looked at it briefly before turning her adoring gaze back to her child. "It's a ninja doll." She replied simply. The small child grew excited at the words, however, and admiring, looked back at the rather simple toy.

"When I grow up I want to be a ninja, too!" She exclaimed, causing the stand owner and her mother to chuckle.

_ 'Kunoichi…female ninja…'_ Misao inwardly said those words as the mother promised her daughter that she would be a fine female ninja one day. The petite green eyed woman nodded to herself. _'Kunoichi… I am a ninja… I, too, can fight!'_ In that instant, Misao decided what her next course would be… she would confront her enemy. Her mind turned as she thought of various ways she could take the foreigner by surprise and what ninjitsus to use against her pursuer. A small smile spread against her pink lips as she hastened towards the temple building.

Aoshi arrived at the vegetable stall Misao had been to moments before with a look of calm anxiousness. A few minutes ago, a messenger had arrived with Misao's message as well the one that caused him to appear before the old woman. The taller man had left the others to deal with the assassination attempt that was to occur later tonight and then fled the compounds in hopes that his wife was smart enough to stay within visible sight.

The old woman smiled in recognition and grabbed his large hand, patting it affectionately. "Take to the alleys and be quick." There was no hidden meaning in her words just directions that caused his heart to quicken. Only when there was a dire strait were the ninjas allowed to speak so clearly, everything else was to be said in code… always.

"Thank you." Aoshi turned on his heel and inwardly cursed Misao for doing something so brash while praying that she was safe.

Misao hurried in through the gates and glanced at the empty courtyard. Usually there was a monk or two walking through, greeting any and all guests but there were none today. _ 'Is there something important today?'_ She briefly thought as she headed towards the praying alter. Jade eyes flashed left and right as her sandaled feet nosily clattered against the stone walkway. Women were not allowed within the temple building but allowed to loiter around the courtyard.

Part of her was relieved that there was no one around, yet, another part of her was terrified of the prospect. However, Misao steeled her resolve and moved forward. Her packaged hands loosened slightly as she effortlessly pulled her kunai free from her inner sleeves without drawing attention to her weapons. Her ears strained to listen to the heavy footsteps of her follower around the roaring of the blood in her ears. The petite ninja breathed in deeply and slowly attempted to calm her racing heart before stopping at the alter.

_ 'Please watch over me Beshin, Hyotttoko, Shikijou, Hannya… Let me make you proud, Aoshi.'_

Misao rang the bell once…

She concentrated on where the man following her was…

The bell rang twice…

Misao dropped her bags without care and spun around, sending her kunai flying. It startled the man that was ten feet away from her and he jumped away from the sharply pointed metal. The small female then jumped behind the alter, cursing the inventor of kimonos and they're ancestors. Drawing another handful of kunai, she peeked over the edge of the wooden alter and sent them towards the red haired man.

There was a string of curses followed by two shots and her scream. It seemed the man was carrying pistols in his long leather jacket. Another bullet grazed the top of her head as she tried to throw another set of weapons before ducking behind the safety of the alter.

Misao's mind raced as she loosened her obi and opened her kimono slightly to allow better leg movement. She felt movement above her and jumped out from behind the alter as the bells came crashing down on top of her. Never losing sight of her target, she ran as fast as she could throw her next set of arsenal at her assailant.

Four more shots rang out with her barely dodging them. Her foot then caught on the hem of her kimono as she tried to twist around to hide behind a thick tree. Misao sent out two thin, needle-like knives before crashing down to the ground with a yelp. She tried to stand back up quickly, but the strawberry blond was already upon her pointing a silver pistol between her eyes as his other hand bled softly from the wound caused by her needle projectiles.

_'This is it…I'm sorry Aoshi… I guess I'm just not good enough.' _She closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the final moment but it never came. There had been the sound of a shot that whizzed by her ear, embedding itself within the rough bark followed by a loud crash of bodies and grunts. Opening her jade colored eyes, Misao watched with shock as Aoshi and the foreigner wrestled with each other on the ground fighting for the upper hand. There were several punches and kicks sent towards the other but finally Aoshi rolled on top.

Shinomori Aoshi was furious. Not only had Misao nearly lost her life at the hands of this gaki, but she had almost died in the same manner as his other teammates. Aoshi sent a punch towards the young man beneath him that crushed his nose. Blood spurted from the wound as he cried out in pain. It was then followed by another and then another as rage consumed the usually stoic man.

"Aoshi!" Misao cried as she tried to hold the enraged man back. "Please stop! Aoshi!" By this time, many had gathered to see what the commotion was all about. The monks that knew Aoshi well were shocked by his primal behavior.

Aoshi didn't care if he killed the man. He tried to kill his wife and that was unforgivable in his book. The young man's face was starting to resemble a bloody mass of flesh as the blue eyed ninja continued his rein of powerful blows.

"Aoshi! Please STOP!" Misao threw herself onto her husband's back, gripping his waist tightly and burying her face between his shoulder blades. Aoshi froze at her actions and panted, trying to regain his sanity and breath. Blood covered his fists and he was aware of the bruise forming under his left eye.

The dark haired man took a shaky breath before standing abruptly. Misao started to let go of him only to be crushed within his embrace. Tears welled up in her dark eyes as he breathed words into her hair. Guilt built in her as she returned his embrace. How could she have ever doubted his love for her?

"He's still breathing, brother." A monk informed another, who nodded slightly, looking at the two lovers embracing. 

"We must inform the proper authorities." Another monk agreed and left with his brethren to find a police officer. Other passersby had also left in search of some sort of authority to help out with the situation.

Aoshi and Misao finally broke apart after what seemed like an eternity. They stared into each others' eyes full of love and relief. Aoshi caressed her flushed cheek in his calloused hand, enjoying the softness of it.

"I'm sorry, Aoshi. I-I should never have gone on my own." Misao whispered softly, casting her green eyes downward.

"No. It is—" Aoshi never finished his sentence as a gun shot filled the air followed by several screams. The downed gunman smiled cruelly before passing out, his small derringer clattering on the cobbled ground.

"AOSHI!!" Misao cried, as blood splattered onto her fair face. The body of her husband crumpled as it fell forward like the heaviest of weights. The smaller woman immediately put her hands out to catch him. She let out a small gasp as Aoshi's muscular build threatened to crush her tiny body under its power.

"HELP!! Somebody help him!" Misao cried as people just stared at her struggling figure. "A Doctor! Get a doctor!" That statement shook a few people as they ran to help her lay the heavier man on the cold floor of the temple grounds. Others ran towards the nearest doctor in hopes of reaching them in time to save this life. However, in the end, it would be a useless effort.

"Aoshi! Open your eyes! Please!" The younger woman pillowed his dark head in her lap, silently praying. Dark blue eyes opened slowly to watch tear-filled jade eyes. A trembling smile filled her face as green eyes darkened. "Aoshi… anata… onegai…" Misao watched in fascination as blood bloomed from the wound in his chest and rapidly soaked the dark shirt he wore. There was so much blood… 

It never occurred to Misao that this would be the last time she would speak to him again. She did not usually think she would ever see him die. She had too much hope in life for that. Even when Aoshi had disappeared for several years, there was that small hope that she'd see him again. That he would always prevail over any situation. Yet, where was that hope that she always held? Where had it hidden itself?

"Misao." Aoshi struggled to focus on the sad green eyes that hovered above him hazily. 

"Shh! Don't talk Aoshi! Save your strength!" Misao pleaded while he gazed at her, a soft, lazy smile painted across his pale face. It was a smile she had seen on rare occasions, a smile that was meant merely for her. A lump formed its way into her throat blocking anything from entering or leaving. A sob struggled against it as tears flowed freely from the dark pools.

"Misao…" The dark blue eyes lightened considerably, showing the true depth of the emotions within the stoic man. It drowned her, swallowed her whole, leaving her breathless and dizzy. His lips parted, moving seamlessly, the words were so soft that she had to strain her ears to hear them.

"I love you."

Misao remembered when she had first heard those words. She had finally turned twenty and could be denied a woman no longer. The day had been beautiful… the sky was clear and the bluest of blues while white clouds lazily swam by. It had snowed the day before, leaving the world in a blanket of white. Children leapt and danced in and out of the snow banks as the adults watched them with nostalgic faces.

Misao watched it all with a childish delight. She loved the snow. There was something so wonderful about the white blanket that she could not fully describe. Wonderful memories of her childhood were embedded within each snowflake that littered the ground. She closed her eyes, watching each memory pass by as a cool breeze brushed past her cheeks, causing them to flush. The dark haired woman was so absorbed within her recollections that she did not hear the sound of snow being crushed underneath heavy boots.

Aoshi just watched her for a while, admiring her beauty and the soft smile carved onto her pink lips. It was his favorite pastime. As much as tea and mediating calmed him, nothing brought him closer to peace than by just looking at her. Flashes of her doing household chores and just admiring the scenery around her raced behind Aoshi's clear eyes.

However, the memory that lingered the most was of her turning towards him slightly, calling out his name… Misao's full lips had formed his name around the cheerful smile painted across her fair features. Dark green eyes held an emotion so strong that it still took his breath away. He cherished that memory, held it close to his heart and watched it every second he closed his eyes.

"Misao…" The words just tumbled from his mouth unconsciously, drawing the woman's attention.

Misao smiled up at the taller man, her green eyes holding that same warm, gentle look… for him… only for him. "Yes, Aoshi-sama?"

"I love you." 

Aoshi was never one for many words or too much preamble. He merely stated what he felt or saw with a bluntness that was oftentimes sharp. Misao said nothing as she stared at him with wide green eyes. The blue eyed man had expected a bit more than just… silence… a lot of hugging, squealing, and shouting of reciprocation, yes… silence—no. A sudden thought ran by his mind causing his heart to stop… _'Maybe… Maybe she got tired of waiting.' _

Dark hair swept across Misao's pale face as she watched the dark blue eyes swirl with hesitation, confusion, fear, and… love. A part of her wished that he had built up the mood before just blurting out those words… however… it just would not be Aoshi.

Misao chuckled lightly before smiling gently towards him as she grabbed his cold hands in her warms ones. She said nothing as she threaded her thin fingers with his, nor when she leaned against his broad frame.

"I know."

The heart is a simple and fragile thing... mere words can break it... a small glance can stop it... yet isn't it amazing how it can breed life with each beat?

How she wished her heart would stop beating. How it would stop giving her life at that very moment. How she wished the earth would suddenly open up and swallow her completely.

The smile that was met only for her was still on his calm face. It was as if he was sleeping. His face free from the pressures of the world, from the emotional burden he carried. So young and smooth… Tears fell from her face, landing heavily on Aoshi's now motionless one, before sliding down his cheek. It made it seem as if he was crying with her. 

Misao passed her hand lovingly across his face as her tears continued on. Her lips parted softly as she brought them down on his. _ 'Still warm.'_ She thought as she raised herself up slightly, her eyes were dead…seeing nothing but the soft smiling face of her husband, darkness fading everything else out. _ 'Aoshi… you were…you were the only one for me.'_ Misao's thin fingers coiled tightly around his hand. They were warm… so very warm.

Fainting over his prone form…Misao held onto her beloved for the last time.

The axe swung down and Kenshin could barely move out of its intended path. He closed his eyes, waiting the impending moment of his death. _ 'Kenji… I'm sorry… I'm sorry I couldn't wait for you.'_ The next few seconds were all a blur to the older Himura. The sound of metal meeting against metal filled his ears and his violet eyes flew open to see this new predicament.

Standing above him with a smile plastered to his boyish features was Seta Soujiro and in his hands was what appeared to be a metal bokken.

"I'm sorry I'm so late, Himura-san." The young man looked down briefly at the astonished redhead. "I got lost on my way here." Seta returned his attention to the large man before him swathed in dark blue cloth, holding a rather large axe. If it was at all possible, Soujiro's smile got wider which in turn, frightened his attacker. The brown haired man shifted all his weight onto the sword in his hand, pushing the man back and giving the younger man some distance.

The burly man growled in annoyance and charged, swinging his axe with one hand. Soujiro bent down, quickly grabbing Kenshin around his waist and jumping with him towards the porch where a wide-eyed Tsubame sat with an unconscious Kaoru.

Yahiko had already fled to fight the other attackers, his bokken cracking through the air and making loud sounds as it hit bones and muscle. He rushed towards the man that was threatening his son with inhuman speed. Sending his ki into his feet, he jumped up briefly flying. Yahiko then shifted the ki to go around the wooden sword bringing it down hard against the skull of the attacker with a satisfying crack. The tall tanned man landed on the ground with one foot and quickly pivoted on it so that he was facing the next group.

Once again he gathered his ki into his feet letting him speed by each one, the wooden sword arching and slicing through the air, connecting solidly on each and everyone of them. Noses, elbows, knees… anything that could and would stop them, Yahiko aimed for. Adrenaline rushed through his blood, the heat of battle filling his head with a rush. This is what his spirit called for, this is what he studied so hard for, what he fought to learn for… to protect those who meant something to him!

Shin'Ya was amazed. He had never seen his father move like that! It was awe-inspiring and just plain cool! Kenshin was also amazed. Yahiko was moving faster than he was before, partly due to the situation but also to the blood pumping in his veins. Yahiko was and would forever be the Tokyo Samurai.

Enishi watched the younger man out of the corner of his eye. _'So this is what he is capable of…'_ He mused slightly. He recalled the reports he had received years ago of the young child that had fought against his men. It had seemed rather impossible that such a small child could do something like that. Yet watching him now, Enishi realized just how foolish _he _ had been. Myojin Yahiko was amazing to say the least.

_ 'Well time to show them that he's not the only one with talent in his blood.'_ Enishi smirked, his teal eyes glittering with life as his gaze landed on more of the offending foes. His attacker was brandishing a large double-edged sword with a plain handle. He, too, was clothed in the same dark blue ensemble as the others. Enishi shifted his feet so that he could spin to the right, releasing the pressure against the sword of his attacker. As the man stumbled from his momentum Enishi continued his bokken's path, connecting with the man's lower back sending him sprawling on the ground. Enishi flew towards the fallen man with a mighty roar and brought the wooden sword down between the man's neck and shoulder, rendering him unconscious.

That done, he faced three more men swathed in blue and chuckled gleefully. He couldn't believe how much fun he was having. Sure, there was the possibility of getting struck dead with one of the swords but that did not matter to Enishi. He wasn't going to die—he was going to win! 

Enishi ducked low as one of them swung their sword intending to cut him in half. From there, the white haired man pushed up from his feet, knocking his shoulder into his attacker's solar-plexus, earning a gasp of surprise and a loud crash as the body feel towards the floor. The other two attacked as one, trying to catch Enishi off guard. However, Enishi was much too fast for them, sidestepping the attack and flipping over one of them. As soon as he landed, he sent all his ki into his hips as he pivoted. The tanned man spun so fast that it seemed like a small tornado was encroaching upon the stunned enemy. One… two… twenty times Enishi's bokken struck against the blue covered man each in a different place but with the same power as a raging hurricane.

Enishi stopped, grinning wildly at the man still left standing. The enemy was visibly shaking. Apparently they had no idea what they were going to encounter when they attacked the Himura household. The smirk that was currently on the tanned face stretched out further. His opponent dropped his weapon and ran as fast as he could. However, he was not faster than Enishi. Enishi gained upon the running enemy and jumped high into the air, spinning once to extend his left leg. It landed with a resounding crunch on the man's collarbone.

Tsubame watched the older man with large brown eyes. She was in shock… she was in awe… she was very much confused how someone as old as him could move like… like… like a young tiger. It was as if watching a dancer move across a stage. Each movement was like liquid moving solidly. A faint pink blush rose to her cheeks as she watched each muscle stretch and contract. "Su…sugoi…" She whispered, causing Kenshin to chuckle.

Soujiro was immensely impressed with the two fighters but thought that he should at least finish what he had started. He smiled again at the challenger with the large axe. With a nod, the young man was off. Soujiro was a white and blue blur as he moved towards the enemy. His attacker swung the heavy axe down and Soujiro dodged to the side, however the impact of the axe on the ground was enough to cause the ground to shake.

"Eh?" He grunted out briefly as he tried to maintain his balance on the small earthquake. It was so strange! It felt as though there was raw power shaking the very ground beneath his feet! The man before him laughed at the confused expression painted across Soujiro's fair face.

"Well boy? Still think you can go against me?" The deep throaty voice taunted. Soujiro noticed that though this man was also dressed in a dark blue ninjitsu uniform, he had a strange noh mask. It was painted a bone white and resembled a growling oni. Red outlined the dark black eyes and made circular symbols across the chin, cheeks, and forehead. A black hair hung from the chin creating a beard, but there were also the thick, overwhelming eyebrows.

Soujiro smiled brightly. "What an interesting noh mask you have, sir!" The gleeful voice that came from the thin lips caused even Kenshin to wonder about the boy. "But, why would you wear such a thing?" Soujiro's blue eyes suddenly widened as a thought occurred to him. "Could it be that you have some sort of facial deformity?"

Enishi nearly tripped over his own feet as he heard the seriousness in the young man's voice. _'Who the hell is this kid?!' _

Kenshin watched from his position the events as they unfolded. He didn't understand… who were these people? Why were they attacking him? What was Soujiro doing here?

"Why, you little punk!" The much larger man was about to swing his axe again when Soujiro disappeared. The large man faltered for the briefest of seconds, becoming his most grave mistake.

The smaller blue eyed man had already circled around him in speeds that were hard to see and the moment the masked man hesitated was when he attacked. He swung his metal bokken, letting it collide with the base of the man's skull, effectively knocking him out. The boyish samurai pouted. "Well, that went by fast…"

Enishi just sighed and slinked over towards Soujiro and the large enemy. He stopped suddenly as the sound of two weapons slicing through the air caught his attention. He jumped back in time as an arrow landed where he had been previously standing. The other arrow landed near Soujiro. More arrows showered down, forcing the two warriors to back away from the fallen body.

As soon as they were far enough, the attacker appeared instantly beside his comrade, dressed similarly, only this time with a raven's mask hiding away his face. He said nothing but merely cocked another arrow, pointing it towards Enishi and Soujiro. However, he swung it quickly towards Tsubame and sent the arrow flying. There was no one around her to save her in time as it flew straight towards her heart. She let out a startled grasp and Yahiko cried out her name. Soujiro cursed and rushed towards the woman using all his speed but he knew he'd never make it in time. Meanwhile, Enishi lunged at the new threat as he readied another arrow. 

Time seemed to stretch into an eternity as everyone moved in what seemed to be slow paces. Another slicing sound was heard, followed by two simultaneous 'thunks'. Enishi hesitated for one moment, glancing towards his side as the previously stunned group stared in shock. Yet it was enough to let the smaller of the two shoot his arrow to place distance between himself and Enishi, grab his fallen partner, and disappear in a rustle of leaves.

Enishi jumped back as the arrow once again grazed by him and looked over towards the group, muttering curses under his breath. However, the sight that greeted him was one he was neither expecting nor believed. Yukishiro Touma stood near Tsubame, a small smile on his handsome face while fingering a shuriken that was similar to the one currently trapping an arrow on the ground. The white haired man felt his knees wobble slightly before giving out on him completely.

"Hello, father… It seems there is much we need to talk about."

The fighter grinned down at him before picking up the fallen sword, holding it above Saitou, ready to strike downwards through flesh and bones. Saitou mildly acknowledged the threat and tried to ignore the pain so that he could at least dodge the blow but his limbs froze and his muscles refused to work. One word coursed through his mind, the one thing he knew he needed to live for. _ 'Shiori…' _And then the world went black for the wolf as warm blood rained down on him.

The sounds of bones and flesh tearing filled the night air before abruptly stopping. Dark brown eyes stared down at the fallen wolf through the shaggy tendrils of his long dark hair.

"Why did you stop?"

He had never liked that voice particularly. It was disturbing to say the least. Childish innocence laced with darker tones of bloodlust and killer intent. Brown eyes flickered over the speaker briefly before moving back to the body, still clinging to the sword. He had sent it swinging down at an angle, breaking through the collarbone and tearing through a lung… yet he had stopped before reaching where he knew the heart was.

"Well? Aren't you going to finish it?"

He grunted in response, drawing the sword out with a sickening, wet slurp. The body fell ungracefully, landing with a solid crack as Saitou's head collided with the cobbled ground.

"You were supposed to behead him." His partner walked over softly, revealing himself to be a small boy of about twelve or so. Dark clothing hung off his extremely thin body, swishing together as he walked. Sandy blond hair was cut perfectly and even bangs felt before his clear apple green eyes. "Look at all the blood…" He commented off-handedly with a childish glee, as if talking about a new toy.

"Hn. I was never really good with a sword." The fighter commented, throwing down the katana blade, the metal clattering loudly against the silent streets.

"He's still alive you know." The young boy looked up at the much taller man. He looked almost imposing at his height with muscles barely concealed by dark fabric.

"So what?" He grunted out, an unknown feeling stirring in his chest. He hadn't known _why_ he stopped… but he did. Again dark eyes roamed over the sharply defined face, asking for answers to questions he didn't know. _ 'Why does he seem so familiar?'_ The fighter asked himself before quickly looking away.

"We're supposed to kill him." The boy cheerfully intoned, causing the older man to look down at him from his long nose.

"You do it then." He suddenly didn't want to kill Saitou and knew the little boy would never finish the job. "He's out of commission, that's what they said. Ain't like he's going to get up and fight anyone in that condition. Besides he'll probably bleed to death or som'in'." The fighter then sauntered away from the scene a long thin pony tail swinging idly behind him in rhythm to his swaggering walk. However it did little to hide the imposing red kanji bleeding from the dark blue cloth. Aku… Evil.

---- tsudzuku ----

* * *

_Arrigato Mina-sama!_

**JML-** Ororororo... @___@;; Gomen ne!! *passes out*

_Shiori:_ Um... Due to... certain events, Ro-Chan is unavailable. Kenji and I shall be taking over the feedback. Ne, Kenji-san?

_Kenji:_ Why are you going back to the -san thing?

_Shiori:_ *glare* Must I really explain?

_Kenji:_ O___O;; No ma'am!

**LadyShiin- **_Kenji:_ No, I didn't lose my memory. I have my reasons for calling Kumiko my wife.

_Shiori:_ Though whatever they are they better be good or so help me... *glare*

_Kenji:_ O___O;; Uh... Thank you! Ro-Chan reads your stories as well... though she doesn't comment the lazy ingrate. I'll make sure to tell her to or something.

**kira-** _Shiori:_ *plotting Kenji's demise* Thank you. The prequel was nice and you're right **Sins**is much better. ^__^ Though Ro-Chan has a bad habit of making everyone suffer... and she's even has a horrible ending set up I just know it! ;___;

_Kenji:_ Hey! Wait a minute! What's wrong with being incredibly strong?!?

_Shiori:_ Don't worry though. Though it seems, at this point, Kenji is really strong it only means that his opponents have leveled up too. Besides Kenji is an idiot. ^__^

_Kenji:_ HEY!

**naixil-** _Kenji:_ Ro-Chan doesn't seem to understand the meaning of 'romance' or her version of it is twisted or something... ¬__¬

_Shiori:_ Aww! You're so sweet! ^__^ I'll make sure to pass on your hug when she wakes up until then I send you a *HUG*

_Kenji:_ *whines* Why can't I get a hug?!?

**Andrea-** _Shiori:_ ^__^ I'm sure if Ro-Chan was awake she'd be blushing bright red about now! Hee hee... She learning Japanese too though so she couldn't help you with it. ^__^;;

**JadeGoddess-** _Kenji:_ Why is everyone hooked on this marriage thing?

_Shiori:_ *glares* Maybe because it was a BAD thing! Ahou...

**Tanuki-dono-**_Shiori: _ TAN-CHAN!! *HUGS* I love you!! You're so nice to me... sometimes... 

_Kenji:_ Yeah! Why can't I kiss Shiori?!? That's not fair. *pout*

_Shiori:_ Not like I'd let you anyway... *evil grin* I can't wait till father finds you in **CDRS**!

_Kenji:_ *whines* Not again! I don't want to be at the end of that man's sword!

**jbramx2-** _Shiori:_ *HUGS* I love you too! ^___^ Hee hee! I know isn't Kenji's American name just silly?

_Kenji:_ *frowns* Hey I liked it. Besides it's easy to remember. Oh... I see... you're a YST fan too huh? Humph... I can take those guys on any day! Mystical armor or not!

_Shiori:_ Whoa there! Pull that testosterone back in! 

_Kenji:_ *simmers* I'll take on Naruto too... jerk... stealing my girl... grrr.

**Queen Kagom-**_ Shiori:_ He better not! JERK!! And no you didn't miss anything. This moron has his own agenda!

_Kenji:_ What did I do?!? 

**Dawn-** _Shiori: _ Once again if Ro-Chan were awake right now she'd be blushing! ^__^ Yes, Ro-Chan's life is pretty hectic. She's in her last semester of College right now so her classes have gotten harder and the work load worse.

_Kenji:_ And she deletes her story from time to time because she's an idiot like that. 

_Shiori:_ ^__^;; Still she tries her very best to get them out quickly. Just remember to review! It reminds her that she still has wonderful readers to feed! ^__^

**Kyaukii-** _Kenji:_ Thanks. Yeah, Ro-Chan better finish this story and give me a happy ending! *stomps foot*

**Lin-** _ Shiori:_ Hee hee! Don't worry Ro-Chan will finish this story too! She's made it her goal so it's bound to happen! Just hope it's in this year. ^__^;;

**Fire Wings-** _Kenji: _ Ah... Ro-Chan has been taking forever lately to get her chapters out but she plans to finish it from what I've heard. So thank you and keep reading and reviewing!

_Shiori:_ Well that's everyone! Thank you all for reading and leaving your comments!

_Kenji:_ Yeah! See you next chapter!

_Shiori:_ That was so corny.


	6. Ch 6

**The story thus far**: After four years of separation Shiori and Kenji are about to reunite in hopes of marriage. However, Kenji never returned to Japan sending everyone into much discourse. A year later, Shiori has agreed to marry Naruto the man that purposely interfered with Kenji's course to return to Japan. At a wedding party held in honor of Shiori and Naruto's soon to be matrimony, Kenji suddenly appears saying that he is married to Kumiko. Shiori heartbroken and faint at the news decides to go outside but Kenji accompanies her. Through a misunderstanding, Kenji now believes Shiori is in love with Naruto. Meanwhile, Saitou is attacked in the streets and left to die by a strange fighter with the kanji "Aku" embroidered on his back. Earlier in the day, Misao was also attacked and saved by Aoshi, however, he was killed by a well aimed shot. In Tokyo, the Kenshin-gumi also suffers from an attack on the dojo. However, Soujirou appears just in time and saves them from any major casualties. Touma then appears suddenly at the dojo surprising the group with a cryptic message.

**And so, our story continues:**

Sins of the Fathers 

**Ch.6**

_August 10, Meiji 31 (1901)_

Kumiko Shinomori had the stubbornness of both her parents, the spontaneity of her mother, and the icy composure of her father. When put to good use the eldest Shinomori made for a charming girl full of vibrancy and just the right amount of absurdity that had everyone's attention focusing on her. Her handsome good looks and a pair of mesmerizing blue eyes accented this mix, allowing her to be the centerpiece to any room. All her life she had been a natural charmer, so it wasn't a surprise that when Kenji left with Shiori that she drew away the awkward atmosphere with her tales and melodious laughter.

However, the dark haired woman was by no means a silly and frivolous girl. Behind her amiable manners and charm lay a mind full of cunning wit that made her and extraordinary woman and an even better kunoichi. So while she gently prided information and chatter from her hosts, she kept a cool gaze and an open ear towards a tall, dark man, the harbinger of her ill will, Naruto. It would be untrue if it were said that she was unconcerned about the pair conversing outside, but her responsibly and sense of justice kept her mind from wondering away from her important task.

Dark blue eyes hardened as Kenji disappeared quickly behind the glass doors leading to the sparkling garden. They then had quickly flittered from the glittering doors to land on the stiff figure of Naruto. The blues eyes changed swiftly from their deep blue to a cool icy blue that burned with fury and rage. The more she thought of Naruto the more the bile raised to her throat. She despised the young man greatly and let her rage burn directly at him, though her smile and laughter lead others to believe otherwise. Yet, as much as she hated Naruto, she hated Shiori more. In the shinobi's mind Shiori was at fault that thousands of scars littered her back, that no man would ever consider her a bride. She blamed Shiori for all that had happened to her and her friends, most especially what happened to Kenji. Kumiko let the memory give her a small shiver, the goose bumps rising as her mind replayed the redhead's blood curling screams. His mental and emotional scars would never heal like his physical ones would and it was _her_ fault.

* * *

Naruto internally screamed in frustration. The two men he now was in the company of were foreign officials, connected somehow to his grandfather he was sure, and spoke to the stiff young man as if he knew the politics as well as the old man, or even cared for that matter. It was another reason for him to dislike them, though his main reason was that they were keeping him from chasing after Shiori. The two transparent doors that separated his chance of redemption taunted him from behind the shorter men's head and his heart lurched suddenly. Fear griped his heart as he worriedly thought about what Kenji was saying to the light eyed girl. _'I won't give her to you.'_ He mentally growled in desperation answering the two men in short, clipped answers trying earnestly to convey his hurry.

He was quite anxious of what Kenji was telling the raven haired girl, but mostly he was frightened how things would turn out. He couldn't even take comfort in the knowledge that Kenji had somehow married another. The threat that he could cause Naruto to lose Shiori was so much that it made him anxious to brush the two men aside rudely. But the insecurity of the moment rooted his feet to the ground as his heart hammered in his chest, the blood roaring in his ears. _'Please… please Shiori stay with me. Give me a chance to explain.'_

Naruto took a deep breath as the two men noticed he wasn't really paying attention to the conversation and excused themselves. _'Shiori, forgive me and stay.'_ Naruto chanted in his head as he bid the to men farewell and taking long, quick strides to the two clear doors. The dark haired youth needed the small woman as he needed air. She gave him peace and comfort. She was the light that shone on his dark world, it changed him into a person who could do no wrong… and for that reason he hated himself.

Taking in a deep, steadying breath the Kumiko smiled shoving the memories of a past year of pain far behind in her mind for the time being and re-focusing on the conversation at hand. The two gentlemen leaving Naruto's company briefly captured her attention. She idly wondered how much time had passed since Kenji's departure and made a small move to stop the hateful man. However, just as she was about to call out to the repulsive man, a commotion in the front of the ballroom caught their attention.

* * *

It is said that bad news comes in pairs. Shiori could testify to that. If something terrible happened another equally as terrible or worse would join the first. After all, misery loved company. Yet, no matter how much she knew this fact of life, it never failed to burn her.

Shiori had been passing through the two glass doors in search of Naruto for some sort of comfort in the familiarity. Her world was shaken and turned around so much that she needed something stable to hold onto and try to find her footing again before she lost her sanity. As soon as she stepped into the light ballroom a pair of uniformed policemen caught her eye. They were frantically searching about and yelling in a loud voice so that all could hear them.

"We demand to speak to Fujita Shiori!" The taller of the two cried out suddenly causing the crowd to silently murmur and look amongst themselves.

The golden eye young woman frowned visibly and vaguely wondered what was their hurry. She lifted her skirts skillfully and quickly glided to where they stood, Naruto already there and waiting for her. She gazed directly at the two officers that had come _demanding_ to see her as she answered in a calm voice.

"Yes, what is it?" Her voice smooth and undaunted, not once showing any evidence of the events that had occurred moments ago. _'I will not let you effect me any further, Kenji. I am not weak.'_ She stood tall and proud next to a very confused Naruto.

"Fujita-san," The stocky police officer looked at his partner before facing the small girl with piercing amber eyes. _'She looks so much like her father.'_ He thought momentarily before remembering his reason to being there. "Fujita-san…" The officer faltered as he gazed into her sad brown eyes. Suddenly, he didn't have the heart to tell her. "It's… It's about your father."

Her father… Shiori felt her face grow paler and her eyes grow wide as her knees threatened to give out from under her. Naruto firmly grabbed her arm supporting her before she could fall. Thousands of scenarios passed through her mind in less than a second. Her father… what had happened to her father?

"What about her father?" Naruto asked urgently his grip tightening unconsciously as he glanced back and forth between the uniformed men. "Well? Speak up!" He commanded his dark eyes blazing. Shiori felt so heavy in his arms suddenly. Had it been too much? Was the blow too hard? His heart skipped a beat, guilt settling in abruptly. Maybe he should have thought of something else… something else that would have made the loss less painful.

Naruto mentally shook his head. _'No, there was nothing I could have done that would have made a difference. The pain she felt would have been the same.'_ Yet, in the situation she could not blame him… could not hate him for what had happened. At least for now she could not… _'Would you have done the same Shiori? If you found out the truth, would you become an avenger as well?'_

The mousy, brown haired partner gulped as the dark, intimidating eyes landed on him. "H-he was attacked-" He stuttered unsure if he could really continue. He had worked under Captain Fujita a few months ago and had seen the man in action. He was incredibly hard to please, offensive, and crude, yet none would dare go against him. For Fujita Goro was a deadly man with a sharp sword. He was undefeatable. It was a whispered rumor amongst the other officers that he had fought Battousai and nearly defeated him. Yet now… The thin man had seen just how badly hurt the strong captain was. How could he explain this to her when he could hardly believe it himself?

"Attacked?" Shiori whispered her breath catching within her throat. Her father was attacked? It seemed rather surreal and unconceivable. Who would dare to attack her father? By the look on the two men's faces it was almost as if he had nearly died! But, her father was much too strong for that! Wasn't he? The world suddenly didn't seem as stable as it was once before.

The other officer nodded. "He was severely injured." He grimly stated.

"But not dead!" The shorter officer quickly jumped in trying to give hope to the situation.

"Not yet, at least." The darker officer added gravely.

Shiori's world shattered.

Naruto scowled as Shiori shuddered and pulled free from his hold. She grabbed a fistful of the stammering officer's jacket front. "Please!" She shook him a little, fear and worry eating away at her senses. "You must tell me where he is! Please!" She pleaded with the officer willing her tears to stay behind her lids.

Every part of her screamed in frustration as she shook the man. _'Not dead… he's not dead…yet…'_ The officer's words rang through her head breaking away at her resolve, crumbling the walls that had been so fragilely built. _'I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, father! I'm not strong… I'm not.'_

"Koshii, calm down." Naruto pulled the shivering girl into his arms letting the poor officer regain his composer as the other began to give them directions to the hospital Saitou was admitted. Naruto nodded firmly and snapped his fingers at an usher. "Get my carriage ready quickly." He ordered as soon as the man was before him. The two officers moved out of his way as he pulled the shocked Shiori with him to the front of the building.

Mrs. Musabi was pale as she held out the tall man's coat her eyes flittering from his infuriated face to Shiori's solemn expression. "Is everything alright, Naruto-kun?"

"No." The dark haired man stated taking the coat from the Russian woman. "Tell the guests that we are sorry but that there has been a family emergency." Naruto wrapped his coat around Shiori's bare shoulders before gently pulling her once again towards the carriage. "Come, my dear. You will see that everything is alright and those two idiots were misinformed." He helped the strangely quite Shiori into the carriage before telling the driver their destination and utmost haste. A small part of him was immensely relieved that Saitou was still alive while another cursed at the man's resilience. _'If he does not die I don't know what I will do… Shiori…If you knew of my crimes what would you do? What could I possibly do to make you stay with me? To have you understand?'_

Shiori watched as the town of Kyoto flashed by at their quick pace and mentally she willed the carriage to go faster. Tears had collected behind her eyes but she batted them away with a blink. She felt so numb and hollow that she did not realize Naruto was trying to comfort her with soothing words. It did not work however, for his words were innocently ignored.

The petite woman was not in the carriage, she was not even back at the party—Shiori was stuck somewhere within her past when she was a small child and life seemed so simple and her father invincible. Why? Why was this all happening to her? How much more could her heart take before there was nothing but an empty shell? She clutched her small hands tightly not caring if her nails pricked the fair flesh. _'Father… please… please be alright.' _The carriage speed off into the night the sound of the two horses' hooves pounding against the cobbled street filling the empty silence while Shiori fell into a cage filled with shattered dreams and false hope.

* * *

Souzo was angrily pacing the waiting area of the hospital while his mother attended the unconscious Saitou. The young man passed a hand on his tense face praying to whomever heard him that the aloof man did not die. _'It would break Shiori's heart.' _The young doctor sullenly thought as he willed the approaching headache to disappear into the depths of his mind.

The tall, brazen youth was afraid of only two things in this world… his father, the man he never knew. He was afraid of his rejection, disgust, and revulsion. The other was one little girl that he had promised to protect; or rather it was the part of her that lay hiding within the darkest part of her heart… the cold, detached, vindictive wolf.

To a world that didn't know her, she was the 'perfect' daughter/fiancée/sister, whatever role she possessed. However, behind the polite smiles and easy going nature there laid a very flawed woman. The petite girl had many insecurities and well as many idiosyncrasies that others would detest and avoid. Shiori was malicious, manipulative, and carried a stubbornness that rivaled her father. She was constantly misleading people about her strength and intelligence, reaping in the advantages. Souzo knew the dark haired girl often used him purely for the need for her to look weaker in comparison to him… but he feared her greatly because behind those sparkling eyes was an intellect and a will that often caused a cold chill to run down his spine. Her mind was something he feared greatly, but he feared more the sacrifices she would make to see the end result pull through.

Souzo sat down briefly on a nearby bench as officers flittered about talking about the absurdity of Fujita losing in a battle and what kind of monster had beaten the man. Search and information parties were constantly coming back in divulging whatever information they may have thought useful to capturing the perpetrator to the investigator in charge. Souzo bowed his head as he let his ears hear their words and tried to memorize each small detail. The petite woman would want to her them, he was sure, but what would she do once she had that information? Souzo gave a small prayer in hopes that the hand of God would step in and stop the storm that would approach.

The male Takani wasn't someone who looked for fights, they often times found him. He did however believe in helping those who could not help themselves. When Shiori had first proposed that he work with her in helping others, in bringing others happiness, he agreed. They began to help lost children find their mothers, save kittens from trees, stop brawls from getting worse, find the pickpockets and return the stolen money… then things became more difficult. The pickpockets were part of small yakuzas that sought them both out for ruining their business. In the end, he and the small woman would dispose of them and turn them into the proper authorities. Of course, this was all done without word pointing to either of the two renegades, as no one would appreciate the fact that the Chief of Police's daughter was running around bashing criminals senseless. But it wouldn't stop there… murders, convicted criminals, drug dealers, arms smugglers began to appear on young wolf's list. Each time he saw a little part of her slowly die and be replaced with _something_ that took over her.

It wasn't easy noticing this. In fact, Souzo had not noticed the dark side to Shiori until the night before when they saved a group of kidnapped children from being sold as slaves out of the country. Truthfully speaking, he could attest to saying that in their endeavors they never killed anyone, not that people didn't die but that they didn't start the action. Accidents happened and they both were highly skilled at avoiding death as much as they could. However, that night… when Shiori had discovered that a small girl child was about to be raped… something inside her snapped and she nearly killed the man… almost… if Souzo had not stepped in the raven haired girl would have succeed in her goal. The worst of it was that he knew… he _knew_ that Shiori would have smiled through it all, enjoying it till the very end.

Souzo shuddered and willed the image of a furious Shiori out from behind his eyes. Her eyes had turned from the soft honey color to a cold harden gold. It was a look he had seen on Saitou's face countless of times when they had been traveling in Europe. It was a look of pure anger, the instinct to protect something, the need to kill—bloodlust, the will to bring out justice no matter the cost, no matter the sacrifice.

In that small moment, he didn't know who the woman he held back was and he silently prayed he'd never see _it_ again. This game of switching masks she did so well made him wary in her presence. But most of all, it made him want to break it.

Souzo was a young man that had seen a great many things, but in the end his loyalty never wavered nor did his kindness ever dwindle. His strength was not in the muscles he had earned over the years, but in the love that kept his heart beating.

"Where is Fujita-san's room?" A loud, baritone voice broke his thoughts and Souzo immediately stood up at the familiar voice, desperately looking for a head of shiny, obsidian hair.

"I'm sorry sir but you're not allowed—" A thin, wiry man in a blue uniform stood in front of the hallway, blocking Naruto's path.

"Get out of my way you fool!" He growled out and hugged Shiori tighter against his tall form. "This is his daughter! Now MOVE!" The dark eyed man shoved the officer out of the way and pushed Shiori forward as Souzo appeared walking briskly over to the two.

"It's alright." Souzo nodded towards another officer who had appeared at the commotion. "Shiori…" The tan youth said timidly as he went to place a large hand on her shoulder in comfort, but stopped. The fair skinned woman had her head cast down, crystalline tears falling from her pointed nose, her full lips set into a straight line, not a sound escaping the small figure.

Naruto paused in his tirade of berating the two offending officers as Shiori stiffened in his grasp. Slowly he turned to look at her briefly before offering a bewildered glance at her stepbrother, a handsome young man whose aura and presence commanded great authority.

Souzo merely looked back at the husband to be with a look of concern as he carefully pried the tiny woman from the warm hold. "He's still alive." He said gently, pulling her forward, leading her towards the closed door where his mother was watching her father.

Shiori wasn't sure why she had stopped just that suddenly her feet had become part of the ground. The tears she had been so frantically been trying to hold back rushed over her cheeks without her consent. Her heart beat thunderously in her tight chest and the roaring in her ears didn't hear anything that was said to try and ease the pain. The plain and unmarked door was largely imposing on the young woman. A silver knob was the only thing that glimmered in the dim hallway, taunting her slightly. She was so afraid to open the door, to see the worst of her nightmares come true.

'_I—I can't! I'm not that strong!'_ She mentally screamed as Souzo murmured something to her and reached for the glowing handle.

'_Stop! Souzo stop! I don't want to see! PLEASE!'_ She faintly heard the click of release as her surrogate brother turned the laughing object and pushed the heavy door open.

Slowly it swung open with a loud creek…

'_No! No! NO! STOP!'_

In a moment of panic Shiori reached for the doorknob and shut the door with a slam that caused Souzo and Naruto to jump. She shook with fright as her large crying eyes widened in shock. Her knuckles turned paper white at the tight gripe in which she held the door closed. Shiori's breathing was as erratic and irregular as her heart beat. She choked as bile began to rise in her throat, the urge to vomit suddenly taking over.

Naruto was trying to talk to her and calm her down while Souzo tried to force open her fingers from the rigid grasp it held on the door. She merely shook her head at them both, not registering what they were saying, not wanting to go inside, not wanting to leave the world of illusions she had began to believe in. Sobs and choked coughs garbled her words as Naruto hugged her tightly from behind and pleaded into her hair. Souzo massaged her arms, coaxing them to loosen.

'I don't want to be alone!' Her mind was shattered and her senses lost in a whirlwind of emotions. It was so hard for her to focus and darkness rimmed her eyes trying to drown her. 'I don't want to! No, I don't want to see him like this!' She frantically fought against the two older men with a strength that surprised them both. 'I don't want him to die! Please don't die, daddy! Please don't die!' 

The door opened suddenly and standing in the doorframe was a very tired Megumi. Her sharp, dark eyes roved over the Shiori's pale face and tear streaked features before she closed them, letting the thick dark lashes briefly kiss her cheeks. When she opened them again, a soft, warm smile was painted across her luscious lips as the tall woman merely held out a single, inviting hand towards the shivering girl. There were no words said, just the doctor's eyes willing Shiori to come and accept her hand.

It took just a single moment. Not one of them ready or understanding of what happened next. However, Shiori knew why… but even if she explained to them… they would probably never understand why it was she ran away.

* * *

"Hello, father… It seems there is much we need to talk about."

At those words, Enishi almost collapsed on the ground. His son… his son was staring at him with the same dark eyes he had seen in dreams. To the white haired man it was hard to believe and the rapid beating of his heart could not have been the adrenaline rush he had just incurred. _'My son.'_ It had to be an illusion. It couldn't have been real. _'My son.' _He chanted repeatedly as his legs finally began to move.

It was slow at first, the ground persistent in attaching itself to the teal eyed man, before gradually breaking into a run. When Enishi was finally reached the engawa, he paused.

'_What if this is just a dream?'_ He shook slightly as he reached out a hand.

'_What if I wake up as soon as I touch him?'_ A prickling sensation danced behind his eyes, as his chest tightened and he held his breath.

'_What if it's a ghost…?'_ He closed his eyes; very much afraid that it was some cruel joke his mind was playing. Slowly, very slowly, his fingers reached out, praying, and touched flesh. It was as if an electric current passed through his fingertips causing his eyes to snap open.

"My son." He choked out before grabbing Touma into a tight embrace. "My son." He repeated into the soft brown tresses. Enishi kissed his son's hair, cheek, forehead and held him tighter and tighter, not wanting to break the illusion and savor the warmth and feel of his son's strong hands wrapped around him. _'My son. My precious child.'_

"Dad." Touma replied hugging his father just as tight. Part of the young man always felt a slight envy from his sister whom always had her father's attention. In the past, he would have given anything for the same type of affection that she received. However this moment was wanted, the circumstances that brought it on were not as greatly appreciated.

Kenshin stared at the father-son reunion with tears as he looked past Touma in search of a head of red hair. He sent out his ki thinking that he would be able to find his beloved child's presence that his eyes could not see. Nonetheless, there was nothing other than Enishi's son. Shaking his head clear of the thoughts that wanted to run into it, he turned to Tsubame whom held an unconscious Kaoru in her lap.

"Is she okay?" He softly asked as his eyes roamed over the kendo instructors' body. There was nothing wrong with her physically, he could see no blood pouring out of her soft flesh, and even her chest rose in even breaths.

Tsubame merely nodded and shook her head as tears came to her eyes. "She-she just fainted I think. But… but you're bleeding and Shin'Ya…" The soft spoken woman trailed off. The shock of seeing Touma had made them forget about the injuries.

"I'm okay mom." Shin'Ya said with a painful smile, trying to calm his mother down.

Soujirou stepped up at the collected few. "I'll go find a doctor."

"I'll notify the authorities." Yahiko said quickly and the two ran off in search of assistance while Kenshin merely sat down tiredly near his wife. Tsubame in turn gently laid down Kaoru and stood to bring bandages and anything that could be done to help.

"Dad." Touma began as he pulled away from the warm embrace. "There's… there is much we need to talk about."

"I know." Enishi replied and then began to look around the young man. "Where are the others? Kenji, Kumiko, and Tomoyo?" He asked hopeful that when he said their names the trio would magically appear.

The dark haired young man merely shook his head. "Kenji and Kumiko are in Kyoto right now and nee-san…" He paused and looked away sadly, causing Enishi's heart to clench tightly. "Nee-san is in America." He breathed out softly.

"What happened?" The white haired man demanded as he griped Touma's shoulders. "What's going on? Why?" He asked his voice laden with sorrow and pain. "Why didn't you contact us? Why was there never any word? Do you have any idea how worried we were? How terribly frightened?" The words were so simple but came out choked and rushed out with each heavy intake of air.

Kenshin and Shin'Ya waited silently wanting to hear what had become of them in the past year and what they had been doing.

Touma sighed and crouched down holding his head within his hands. "It's not as easy as you think it is." He said softly before he looked up at the man he admired the most. The man that loved his sister beyond his own life, the man that he wanted _that_ kind of attention from. "As far as the world knows it… we are all dead."

"What?" Kenshin's heart thundered in his chest rapidly as his mind tried to comprehend the words so easily spoken.

"But we're not dead." Touma said quickly as he locked eyes with his uncle. _'Kenji really takes after his father…'_ Dark colored eyes roamed over the familiar yet foreign face, pausing slightly on the cross scar adorning his left cheek. _'Even the same scar…'_ The young man's eyes narrowed as he peered at the scar causing Kenshin to squirm under a gaze he'd so often seen painted across Enishi's face.

"That doesn't explain anything." Shin'Ya muttered as he sat down on the engawa with a flop.

"It's not that I don't wish to tell you something to make you all understand… it's just that it's not as easy as it sounds." Touma ran a hand through his thick, brown tresses. "We were… were sold of as slaves and prostitutes." His face flushed red as the words came out. "They made us take drugs and narcotics so that we could fight against them. It was hell!" The young man covered his face in shame. He and Kumiko had been spared the cruel fate that Kenji had to endure… and Tomoyo… they never found her. She may have been dead, alive and broken, happy and safe, scared, cold, they had no idea. Finding each other had been lucky at best and that had taken a long time as well. Tears seeped out from his tightly closed eyes as warm hands wrapped themselves around him again.

He was safe now. There was no master to torture him, no drugs to make him helpless, no whip to sting his back. He was safe. Safe at home. Safe in his father's arms. Safe.

* * *

Kumiko keeping a close ear to the gossip and noisy chatter of the guests, was able to find a out a little bit about what had happened in the ballroom before Kenji and her exited. From what she understood and seen, the pair of police officers had come to tell Shiori that her father was dead. Inside a small part of the young woman was satisfied with the idea of Shiori suffering over her father's death. To her if felt like equal justice.

In the coach, they were both silent, Kenji glaring off into the distance and Kumiko glancing at him from time to time wondering how to bring up the situation tactfully.

He seemed very angry, angrier than she had ever seen him before. Her curiosity gnawed away at her wondering just what the smaller woman could have said to throw the handsome red head into such fury. How far had the little child driven him? How much hope should she have?

"Kenji," Kumiko paused as he ignored her. She placed her hand on his forearm to catch his attention. To just look at her for once! As soon as she did that small gesture Kenji snapped his head in her direction and growled, as he shook her hand off. It shocked the blue eyed woman at his fierce reaction but mostly it hurt her to her very soul. Would he ever understand just how much he hurt her? Would he ever realize that she was the one for him not that ninny of a girl?

Kumiko glared at him and snapped her slim fingers before his vicious expression. She was not one to show her pain so easily. "Hey! There is no need to take out your anger from _her_ on me!" She spat out waggling a sharp finger at his perturbed nose. "I was going to ask you what happened but it is obvious that things didn't go as you liked." She smirked a bit and sat back in her seat.

Kenji snarled before turning away from her with a pout. He knew she was not the object of his anger and that she didn't deserve it but he had no one else to throw a tantrum on. "Things went disastrous." He explained vaguely not wanting to indulge her curiosity.

Kumiko just rolled her eyes at his petulance before crossing her toned arms before her chest. "Well, Mr. Attitude, were you or where you not paying attention to what was going on as we left? Did she mention anything about her father being sick or anything?" She prodded her voice cheery.

All the youngest Himura did was raise a dark brow at her in question. He didn't understand what the wolfish man had to do with anything at all. "What are you babbling about now, Kumiko?"

The kunoichi waved her hand about idly as the carriage bounced along the long drive way of the mansion. "When we were leaving, didn't you listen at all? There was a huge commotion." She blew out her breath exasperated with the young man beside her before looking out the carriage window. Riding beside them out of the drive way were the two officials whom Naruto was speaking with when Kenji and Shiori disappeared into the garden!

"Kenji!" Kumiko exclaimed, pointing and grabbing the disgruntled redhead. "look! Those two men were talking to Murasaki! There were going on and on about the business deals in Australia!" Kumiko turned around to face the youngest Himura, startled to find him so close. Her cheeks flushed a soft pink as the young man leaned over to look out her window.

"Did you hear everything they were saying?" He asked gruffly while opening the cab window to the driver to ask him to follow the two gentlemen.

"Not really." Dark locks sashayed as she shook her head. "They were… they were to far away m but I do know they were saying that they hoe that the business plans they agreed upon will pull through."

Kenji sat back at his spot and gave the raven haired female his full attention. His golden eyes focusing solely on her gave her a chill of pleasure and danger. She shivered wishing that his eyes would always turn to her and only her.

"You think that they maybe working with him?" He whispered into her ear so that the coachman could not hear. His hot breath on her ear made her nerves tingle and her heart quicken. She would give anything for him to love her.

"They might be." She finally breathed out a bit breathlessly. "We should keep an eye on them and make sure." Kumiko licked her lips nervously. Why? Why couldn't he just forget about that short woman? Why couldn't she be the one?

The redhead looked down at his partner momentarily and smirked cruelly. "Don't forget **_dear_**, that these games are merely that. **_Games_**." He sat back on his side a frown on his fair features. Kumiko's affections annoyed him to no end and though he was cruel to her she still cared for him. He did not understand why she persisted through so many rejections, but her attention was sorely unwanted and a reminder of the things he wanted from Shiori but could not have.

"Where in the world are they going?" Kenji muttered and asked the driver to slow down. The streets had become more narrow and he did not want the other carriage to think they were following them. The area of Kyoto they were currently in was run down and poorly kept. It was certainly not the place where two prominent officials would go unless there was some shady business happening.

Kenji and Kumiko glanced at each other and told the driver to stop. The other carriage moved a bit further before also coming to a pause. The two men stepped out and it drove off without the officials. Suspicious the two both left their own carriage giving the driver specific instructions.

The two gentlemen began walking off to a more secluded area with Kenji and Kumiko following behind in the shadows of the alleyways. Adrenaline rushed through their veins with each step they took. This could very well be the break that they needed! The lead that they had been waiting for to capture Muraskai Naruto and keep him in jail!

It had only been a matter of months when they were approached with the term conspiracy. It seemed that there was more to Naruto than just a lovely set of eyes. The lines between business and politics often blurred as people meet and promised each other things in order to gain something. The question always was… what had Naruto to gain? What was he looking to achieve in all his deals and transactions? What was his goal?

Whatever it was seriously put Japan in danger of crumbling and many lives in precarious positions.

As the two followed the men they hid behind a corner of a shop. Though they had been following behind it seems as through they had already begun. Kenji and Kumiko watches as a large dark clothed man appeared from their vantage point. It was hard to discern any features other than they seemed to be wearing ninja grab.

"Do you think that are shinobi?" Kenji whispered in Kumiko's ears. She shook her head once, as she had never seen such a uniform before, not even the government spies directly dressed like that. However, it did look somewhat similar to the Oniwaban uniform.

"I can't hear what they are saying." Kumiko murmured and Kenji shook his head also not able to hear from such a distance. However, they could see very well and it seemed as the group of ninjas and the two men were arguing quite passionately. The two spies looked at each other again making small motions to get close when suddenly the ninjas attached to two men.

"Let's go!" Kenji commanded rushing out of the alleyway and towards the two politicians. Even if they had suspected them Kenji couldn't let anyone get hurt, most especially if he wanted to ask them questions.

Running in Kenji leapt up high into the air and sent a flying kick to the first head he happened to land on. The man who had been unfortunately been in the way of his kick fell down instantly surprising the other men including the tall man the youngest Himura assumed was the leader.

"Sorry to interrupt," Kenji said with a smirk. "I just love parties, you know?" He chuckled as his golden eyes gleamed in the darkness of the street and watched the leader carefully. He was of Asian decent but not Japanese as far as he could tell he looked more… Korean.

"Get him." His words were simple but the manor and tone in which he spoke them made Kenji's hair stand on end in delight. This guy was strong and it only made Kenji want to crush him more. But first… he had to take care of the lackeys.

They fell easily to both Kumiko and Kenji's quick and powerful attacks. All that were left was the leader with three men for support and the two gentlemen. The two Australian diplomats looked highly frightened and relived at the two young warriors and moved to the side as to avoid the battle that was to ensue.

Kenji snorted and cracked his knuckles, suddenly wishing he had a bokken in his hands. He was good at martial arts, very good but he preferred the feel of the wood in his hands than anything else. Kumiko stood at his side with dignity, her back straight and poised as her icy blue eyes glared at her enemies. The three shinobi balked a bit in fear but refused to back down and admit defeat to a mere woman. She smiled, displaying her brilliant white teeth in a cruel smile. It was time that the Kunoichi to prove them wrong.

Her first strike was so fast that it was not until the first man fell that they even knew what had happened. Kumiko's quick movements were a blur as she danced through both men avoiding their kicks and punches. When she was in the middle of the two masked men, they thought they had her caught and simultaneously attacked with a roundhouse kick. However, the dark haired woman could tell what was going to happen and even anticipated it as she grabbed their out stretched legs and slammed her palm into their knee caps, effectively breaking them with a loud crunch. Both men cried out in pain and with drew their legs to try to attack with their hands. However, that alone would not be able to defeat the tall woman as she caught their arms and once again forced their elbows with her palm to bend in an unnatural way. At their cries of agony, she felt pity for them and knocked them both unconscious so they would not have to deal with their pain any longer. A job well done, Kumiko turned to see how her partner was fairing.

Kenji had been locked in battle for a few minutes already, dodging and striking at the taller man. It almost seemed as if it were a choreographed dance as the two men moved around each other, side stepping blows and attacking with swift movements. They were at a stalemate with each other, evenly matched in their attacks. However, this only served to irritate Kenji moreover as he tested and tired the other man's defense searching for a weakness.

The man grunted as Kenji dodged yet another kick and tried to return one of his own. The lack of advancement within their battle was frustrating him as well. There was nothing that he did that Kenji did not dodge or block and there was nothing that Kenji did that he himself could not avoid or stop. Still… there was something so very off about the boy that had the taller man cautious. Something… something was brewing behind the guarded, golden eyes that made him slightly nervous. It wasn't predictable, like a knowledge or idea forming to try and get the upper hand. It wasn't fear or frustration or any other sort of emotion sliding behind those pools of gold.

It was the lack of any of those things that worried him greatly.

As he dodged yet another attack from Kenji, he moved back placing some space between him and the young redhead. Surviving the area he could see that the rest of his troupe was already defeated and that the young woman was waiting for him to drop his guard. It seemed that he would have to wait to find out what was lingering behind those dangerous eyes for another day.

He shifted his attention from the two young warriors towards the two gentlemen behind them. "You have been warned." Was all he said before he and his three other comrades disappeared into the night.

Kumiko ran towards Kenji confused as he was before turning her attention to the two cowering men. "Who is he?"

* * *

Shiori silently sat within the bathtub, a blank expression marked upon her face. Golden eyes looked forward unseeing as tear stains marred the pure white skin dripping quietly towards the cold water. The moon's reflection rippled across the dark water of the bath with each drop and heavy breath. It was as if time had stopped for the young woman. Shiori's heart had shattered into a thousand pieces leaving her numb even to her own suffering.

The raven-haired woman raised a heavy hand watching the water run down her callused skin in rivets. The hand was glaringly white and shone under the light of the full moon, ethereal in its beauty. _'Chichihue…' _Another tear dropped down with a loud plop as the image of everyone's shocked faces fluttered across her vision. '_I'm so sorry… I am not… I am not strong enough…' _A loud sob forced its way out from her lips and she violently crushed her crying eyes with her small hands, as if attempting to hold back the liquid that seeped through her thin fingers. _'I'm _never_ strong enough… gomen…gomen…'_

She let out a cry of anguish. It just wasn't fair! Why her? Why did everything happen to her? WHY? Her heart ached each broken piece piercing the soft flesh around it like a thousand needles, tearing and destroying everything it touched. She howled with pain as her muscles constricted tightly as if trying to crush her bones, to squeeze her soul out. When was enough? How many times did her world have to break before God thought she was done? How much more could she bear until she was nothing?

She screamed angrily slapping her hands down in the water letting the cool liquid slip over the marble sides like silk. Rage filled her, seeped into her blood, boiling it until it burned her within. When was it enough? When would her pain stop? When? She screamed some more as frustration bore into her soft flesh. Madness swam through her head as fear and anger clung tightly to her heart. When? When did it all end? When would she be happy? Where was her happiness?

A dark, strangled cry wrapped around her angry howls. She was so tired. So tired of trying to find happiness. Tired of trying to fix everyone else's world only find hers broken and shattered. Tired of protecting others happiness when she had none. Was it always going to be like this? Was there always going to be a hell she had to live through? Why had fate dealt her such a blow? Did happiness not exist for her?

Kenji… Souzo… Naruto… they all had such hard lives and looked to her to make it better… looked to her to smile at them and tell them it would be all right. Couldn't they see? That she was just as broken? That she was just as scarred? Burned by life and its disappointments? Who would comfort _her_ now? Who could solve _her_ problems? No one. Shiori had nothing now. There was no one she could run to… no arms that could wrap around her… no voice to tell her it would be alright… just alone… alone with her pitiful, weak self.

Shiori snarled viciously as she clasped her hands tightly into fists. Her sharp fingernails drawing blood from the force on the water softened flesh. She had always worked so hard to better herself… to not be a weakness… to not be a burden. Yet she could not help but feel as though she had been. _'I've dragged you down so far father… If only I was stronger… then maybe… maybe…'_

Shiori's body shook dangerously before each muscle stilled suddenly and a new silence enveloped the small form. There was no movement from the forlorn woman. Her blood slowly dispersed around her and she stared at it momentarily. It ran down her arms and into the water snaking around her drawn knees like red thread. Binding her to the darken waters that engulfed her pale form.

Shiori's heart started to beat faster and faster leaving her lightheaded and faint. There was something about watching the blood swirl around her that left her feeling hungry for more. She pricked her skin more watching as more of the enticing red liquid joined the blackness, lighted only by the silvery moon on her back. But it was not enough. She wanted more. She wanted revenge on those whom hurt her. She wanted to watch their blood run through her fingers like the softest of silk. She was the avenger now… the hunter… A lupine grin carved its way onto her face as frozen gold eyes glittered in the darkness.

As the last walls fell away, something new stirred within the small body. A raw, uncontrollable rage bleed into her skin smothering her with its hate, trapping her within its red thread, fastening her into the shadows. Shiori drowned underneath it, her heart and breath stopping as they filled with darkness. Blood swirled around her bare skin, kissing the white flesh softly, tenderly stilling her thoughts and instincts.

And then…

Shiori was no more…

Outside a lone wolf howled at the large, silver moon.

* * *

Deep in the hearts of men there was a darkness that was overwhelming; shadows that covered their good senses and lead them down paths of destruction if they indulged these dark pleasures long enough. Within every city lay the breeding grounds for such evils, covered by the brightly colored lights of life and pretentious people. Within these darkened hearts, where the lies and truths of life. The ability to create and destroy it with one single breath.

"I want her dead." Derek coolly explained to the raven haired male kneeling before him. "I want to see her still beating heart in my hands." He stared manically at his empty pale hands, imaging the soft tissue motionless as blood dripped down to the floor. He paused regarding the eleventh member of the Jupongatana with cold eyes before hissing out the last of his order. "Do not fail me."

"Yes, Derek-sama." The kneeling man replied before rising and walking out of the room a bored stride to his walk. He would complete this mission and be back to eat some of Rika's sweetest cakes. This mission was much too easy.

* * *

It was a moonless night and the chamber Himura Kenji dwelled in was just as dark as the sky outside. Heavy droplets of rain tapped rhythmically on the glass windows of the young man while lighting streaked across the sky attempting to light the forsaken world below. There was only one small candle lit within the room and amber eyes watched it tremble as if frightened by the harden gaze.

The memory of the night still haunted him, and the adrenaline rush that had kept the youngest Himura running was slowly ebbing away leaving a long, stinging headache in its place. Everything had begun horridly wrong and then slowly got worse. A realization dawned on the young man... Shiori did not love him. She never had. After that, things began to take a plunge into hell leaving him angry with himself and her. Bitterness and hurt filled him causing him to strike out in some sort of defense, to defend himself against the words that were constantly swirling in his mind.

"_He's worth every bit of my love."_

He had angered her, yelled, and even thought to strike her down just so he could stop hearing those words. But Shiori had stood defiant, her golden eyes sparkling in the darkness, defending her lover—and Kenji just crumbled. Things became hazy after that, the fight afterwards an excuse to release his stress. The cut on his hand serving as a reminder of how desperate he was to erase those haunting words.

The young redhead shifted his gaze to his bandaged hand, staring at it while wondering where it had all the illusions of happiness gone. Where was the hope that had started this all? Himura Kenji had died so long ago that there was barely enough life to feed his soul. And as a fool he believed that Shiori could revive him, give him back his being that was stolen from him. However, there was no hope, no existence to be given, he had finally died tonight, whatever life he had left taken from him by those cruel cold eyes, eyes he had hoped for, eyes he had survived for...

Kenji shut his eyes slightly, crushing any tears that had wanted to fall. He gasped loudly trying to control his ragged breathing as memories swept through him. He thought he could escape in the darkened hallow of his room. Yet, even with the small amount of light was he was still afraid of the dark. Because that was where _they_ found him… always finding, reaching, pulling him into the shadows… always… in the dark…

Kenji curled himself into a ball trying to calm his shaking nerves. But all he could see where the hands… hands reaching for him. Hands that threatened to do things… things he did not want to do… things he did not want to be done. It was a battle between himself and the unseen threat, an invisible enemy. He knew it was there and knew that its intentions were not good. Nevertheless, they reached him, they always did, and they touched him, always touching, groping, sliding against him, using him against his will for their sick, perverted pleasures.

The young redhead felt warm liquid slide down his left cheek and he placed a hand over the area dabbing it slightly. When he pulled the hand away, Kenji watched as red blood trickled down his slim digits in fascination. Dead. They were dead, all of them. They could not touch him anymore. They could not touch _anyone_ anymore. He made sure of that. The fire he had had caused was merely a way to cover the dead bodies and to give himself a new life.

Kenji took a deep breath. He would not sleep tonight. The memories were too close to the surface. Too easily seen as soon as he shut his eyes. He had hoped, wished, prayed for days for the torture to end, for the world to make sense. Kenji had many chances to give up and end his miserable existence but it was a pair of golden eyes that made him continue to live, to hope, to love. But now…now they would never know the difference they made.

He fumbled in the dark for his handkerchief he knew he had placed in his pocket… the same one he had used on Shiori so many years ago. Kenji crushed his fist into the arm of the chair he sat in. Naruto was a cruel and dangerous man that hid behind a very charming façade. Shiori had to be unaware of the danger she was in and who knew what he had planned for her once he married her. The overwhelming need to protect her surged through him, because no matter what Shiori felt for him, Kenji would always love her. No matter how much she hurt him he would always run towards her. She was his hope, his breath, his existence… he would always cry over her.

The young redhead knew that she had yet to find her true happiness, the words she had spouted did not sound as they were filled with happiness nor did her eyes reflect that illusion. She could not die yet, there was so much she still had to live for and learn. Kenji, however, did not have such aspirations. He was dead and she had been the one who dealt the fatal blow… Yet he still loved her. He would always love her.

Kenji sighed grabbing his head in frustration as a pair of lovely, sad honey colored eyes danced behind his closed lids. At that moment Kenji made up his mind, it was fine if she did not love him—it hurt but it was fine. Nevertheless, he would protect her from danger and love her from the shadows until the day his body rotted away. He would protect her from Naruto, and others like him, no matter the cost. He would protect her happiness.

----to be continued----

AN: I know that it has taken me forever and a half to get this chapter out (2 years was it?) and there are no amount of excuses I could possibly say for it's tardiness. However, this chapter has been sitting on my hard drive long enough, so I posted it. I have no idea if I will continue or not, really it's up to the reviews (as bad as that sounds). This story was never much for my pleasure but for the readers, in my head I've already finished this story and therefore do not need to flesh it out. However, if there are still readers who care about it and still wish to find out what happens to our two lovers, then maybe I will sit back down and finish this till the end.


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